The Secrets of Ara Lestrange
by Harlie93
Summary: If there was one thing that Ara knew for certain, it was that life was full of secrets. For her, secrets seemed to be around every corner. Ara learns that the secrets of her family run much deeper when she travels to Hogwarts for the Triwizard Tournament and meets the Potters. OC/CW DM/? HP/? JP/LE LM/NM
1. Chapter 1

Hello all, this is my first story, so please go easy on me. Constructive criticism is welcome. I apologize for the parts of the story written in Bulgarian, I do not naturally speak it, so the writing may be off.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, everything is the work of JK Rowling.

 **Chapter One – The Quidditch World Cup**

It was late, she realized she should have made it back earlier, but she had been distracted. She sprinted up the stairs, grateful her uncle was in bed. He would never have such rough housing in his house. When she reached the top of the steps, she didn't knock on the door, but pushed it open and raced towards the bed, she caught a glimpse of the blonde hair sticking out of the blanket.

"Draco" she whispered shaking the sleeping boy. "Wake up, we have to go."

Draco turned towards her voice, his eyes barely opening. "Ara? Where are we going?"

"It doesn't matter," She said briskly, a large smile blossoming across her face. "Have I ever led you astray?" she asked quietly with a smirk.

Draco snorted and pushed the covers off "you always lead me astray," he said quietly but followed her none the less.

The two of them walked quietly down the steps and pulled on warm cloaks before heading outside. Ara dragged Draco to the broom closet and grabbed their two nimbus 2001 before heading past the boundaries of Malfoy Manor.

"Are we playing?" Draco asked excitedly as he followed her.

"What does it look like?" she asked, thrusting one of the brooms into his hand and holding out her arm for him to grab.

Draco grimaced only slightly, but grabbed her arm before the two of them were sucked into an invisible tunnel and appeared somewhere in a stadium with large lights and surrounded by woods.

A look of realization crossed Draco's face as he looked around. ""is this… Is this?" he stuttered a large grin spreading across his face.

"Yes," Ara said clapping Draco on the back, "welcome to the stadium of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup."

"Are you two going to stand around all day, or are we going to play Quidditch," came the voice of a burly man who appeared to be about six feet tall with a full-grown mustache and beard, no one would have guessed that he was only seventeen.

Ara mounted her broom and shot a smirk at the guy, "Catch me if you can Connor," she said as she shot off into the sky, being followed closely by her other friends and Draco.

The game got intense like it always did. Ara was chaser like normal, but she couldn't help keep an eye on her younger cousin. Her friends were rough when it came to Quidditch and they definitely didn't hesitate at shooting bludgers at the seeker.

Ara let her mind drift and she focused back on the game, catching the quaffle and racing towards the other teams' goal post. She made the shot watching the ball soar past the keepers' hands and through the tallest post. Just after she made her shot the whistle was blown, ending the match.

Ara flew down and landed amongst both teams, boos of disappointment were directed towards her. Thanks to her last goal she had won the match for her team, although the other team caught the snitch just after Ara made the shot.

Ara shrugged "no need to be bitter that you all don't hold a candle to me when it comes to Quidditch," she said, brushing off her robes and grinning arrogantly.

"Oh shut up," Connor said without any real venom as he made his way towards the end of the pitch and sat against the wall. The rest of them joined him. Ara sat snuggly between her good friend Anna and her cousin. She glanced around fondly, how many people could say that they and their friends broke into a Quidditch pitch that took a year to create for the Quidditch world cup?

"So Draco," a boy named Marcus began, catching Ara's attention and bringing her back to the present. "are you going to transfer to Durmstrang?" He asked.

Draco shrugged "sometimes father says he wants to send me there with how the old codger is running Hogwarts, but for now he wants me there," he said, a little disappointment evident in his voice.

"why does he want you there, but Ara at Durmstrang?" Kara asked. She was the seeker for the team that lost, the one that caught the snitch. She was small, but strong.

Ara glanced at Draco before shaking her head slightly and turning to the group "I'm unruly," she said with a small laugh. "I think he thought Durmstrang could keep me in line, but well… Hogwarts is his alma mater, so it's important to him that Draco is there."

Kara nodded in acceptance before turning her friend, Marie and engaging in some sort of rapid discussion.

The small group sat and talked until the sun began to rise, it was then that they decided it was a good idea to get out of there before anyone else came.

Ara and Draco headed in the opposite direction of the group and towards the apparition point.

"Father is going to be so mad," Draco said and Ara knew he wasn't afraid of his father, but rather concerned about what he would think of him.

Ara shrugged, "it was worth it though, right?" she asked, slinging her arm around her beloved cousin.

Draco glanced back at the stadium behind them and smiled before nodding. "Thanks for getting me."

Ara reached out her arm for Draco to grab, "now let us go pay the piper," she said and the two of them were sucked once again through an invisible tube.

She had known that they would be in trouble when Lucius found out. And he would find out, it was nearly impossible to keep a secret in Malfoy Manor. Ara was convinced that it was more than just the house elves and the portraits on the walls, she was convinced that the walls themselves could talk.

It, therefore, didn't surprise her as she sat on the couch in the lounge watching as Draco was scolded by his father, while her aunt sat across from her.

"Draco, please leave us," Lucius said, his eyes hard on Ara. Draco stood up and walked quickly towards the door, sending a sympathetic glance towards Ara for what was coming.

"Why?" Lucius asked, exasperation evident in his voice.

Ara looked confused at the question "it was a once in a lifetime opportunity," she said plainly.

Lucius shook his head "why did you take Draco?"

Ara gave him an incredulous look "because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I didn't want him to have to miss it."

"you could have gotten caught," he said walking closer to where Ara was sitting.

"but we didn't and I had it on good authority that we wouldn't get caught," she said as she had double and triple checked that breaking into the stadium was safe.

"I don't know what to do with you anymore," he said as he sat next to his wife. "I had hoped that Durmstrang could knock some sense into you but you are still absolutely foolish and reckless and to make it worse you are dragging my son into it."

Ara sat and didn't say anything. She knew where this was going.

"I do not want you besmirching the Malfoy name," he said harshly.

Ara glanced at him "it's a good thing I'm not a Malfoy then, isn't it," she said, her voice cold.

A plate came flying towards Ara and without flinching, she sent it away with a lift of her fingers, causing it to crash into the wall behind her. She and Lucius had never gotten on well, and Ara knew why that was. Lucius worked on fear, not respect. He wanted people to fear him, but Ara didn't fear him. Why would she fear him when her own mother was so much more frightening?

"Damn it Ara, I want you to take this seriously. You may not be a Malfoy by name, but you were raised as a Malfoy and its time you started acting as one. Enough of this foolishness and these childish games. I expect you to join the ministry when you're finished with school. It bodes well for us to be in political places."

Ara looked down at her hands, she didn't want to work for the ministry, but it had been a conversation they had avoided discussing. She simply nodded, she still had a year, after all, to convince him to change his mind.

Lucius stood up and walked towards the door. "We are in the top box for the Quidditch World Cup, I expect you to look and act respectable," he said before walking out the door and closing it with a snap.

"Why must you push him so?" Narcissa asked after a moment of silence. Ara glanced into the blue eyes of her aunt, seeing no hatred or anger, she answered her.

"It's not my intention," Ara said, "I just don't get what the purpose in life is if we aren't allowed to have fun every once in a while."

"We have fun all the time," Narcissa said, "we are going to the world cup in just a few days, aren't we?"

Ara rolled her eyes, causing a small exasperated smile to land on her aunt's face. "that's not what I mean, Sure we have fun, but it feels like we always have to be a certain way, look a certain way, act a certain way, it's exhausting," she said passionately. "Don't you ever just want to take your hair out of that up do, take off your pants, and run around singing 'Do The Hippogriff" at the top of your lungs?" She asked, crossing the lounge and sitting next to her aunt.

Narcissa laughed and grabbed Ara's hand "I have never had that desire," she said.

Ara smiled and stood up, dragging her aunt with her "you're truly missing out Aunt Cissy," she said and pulled them towards the door.

Narcissa pulled Ara back before she reached the door and when Ara looked at her she saw nothing but concern. "Just promise me you'll try to behave, at least in front of your uncle," she said.

Ara nodded "I will," she said honestly. "I think I'll have the opportunity to make a good name for the family this year," she said.

"you've decided then?" Narcissa asked.

Ara nodded "I think I'll join, I mean I have good odds and it'll be risky and fun while still being looked highly upon, so Uncle Lucius will be proud," she said.

Narcissa nodded "as long as you're safe," she said and the two of them left the lounge.

* * *

Ara made her way through the crowd, looking for her family's tent. She knew she still had a way to walk. She wasn't in much of a rush, she got to have a lie in while the other three walked to their portkey, now she was looking around at all the campsites and watching as some people attempted to put up their tents by hand. She had to give them credit, she never would have been able to build a tent by hand.

She wasn't paying much attention when she suddenly felt something collide with her side as she flew to the ground.

"Ouch" she said as she looked around, her wand springing to her hand on instinct. She put her wand away when she realized it was a teenage boy who had rammed into her.

"I'm sorry," he said as he stood to his feet and reached out a hand to pull her up.

Ara shrugged it off, it appeared that he had been trying to catch the quaffle. The boy looked familiar, although she couldn't place it. He was rather short and skinny and wore round glasses and had a lightning shaped scar.

"Harry Potter," she said as realization struck her. She knew of the scar, not necessarily from the paper but from her cousin.

"We'd appreciate it if you wouldn't say it too loudly," said a man as he walked up to Harry and flung an arm around his shoulder. The man looked to be a carbon copy, only older, and Ara could only assume that this was Harry's father.

"Sorry," Ara said, "I was just surprised you looked so familiar, but I don't believe we've met," She said and put out her hand to Harry. "I'm Ara."

Harry nodded and shook her hand "Harry." Ara then turned to the father "I'm James," he said, shaking her hand.

"Do you need any help with the tent," Ara said as she glanced behind them. There were several tent locations and many people attempting to help, but they seemed to be struggling greatly with the tent.

James rubbed the back of his neck, "Do you know how?" he asked, "My wife usually helps with these things, but I'm afraid she decided to stay home."

Ara shrugged, "I have no idea, we could just magic it up?" she suggested, but the little she knew of the Potters, she knew they wouldn't want to perform magic where they weren't supposed to.

James looked at her strangely "we have to do it by hand I'm afraid."

Ara nodded, her assumption had been correct. "Well did it come with instructions?" she asked.

James nodded and pointed to a tall man, with mousy brown hair that had already started graying, "Remus has got them, you're welcome to help if you'd like, but I'm sure we'll be okay."

Ara shrugged and walked over to this Remus person. Her reasons for staying were more selfish than helpful. She wanted to know a little bit more about these people whom her cousin and uncle hated so much. She paused only briefly when she thought of her uncle. This was definitely something he wouldn't approve of, consorting with the enemy.

She shook her head and continued. "Do you need help," she asked the man. He turned and looked at her, he was very young, but Ara could tell that he had lived a hard life.

"Sure," he said as he handed her the instructions. "I'm Remus by the way, Remus Lupin."

Ara put out her hand "Ara," she said, not offering her last name.

"Pleasure to meet you," he said quietly as she began reading the instructions. There were pictures and it really didn't appear to be that hard. She had to hand it to muggles, they knew how to do the strangest things.

"It looks like you have to lay out the tent flat," she began instructing. A couple of the members of the group glanced at her strangely, before doing what she was instructing. "and then the poles go through the holes in the corner and into the ground, good" she continued as they did what she said. "then the other poles go through the long holes across the tent and they connect to the other side," she finished and before them stood a fully functioning tent.

"Thanks," said a balding red-haired man as he stood and faced her. "I'm Arthur Weasley by the way," he said as he shook Ara's hand.

She hid her grimace; her Uncle would not be happy knowing she'd helped a Weasley.

"I'm Ara," she said quietly.

"These are my oldest sons," he said as two more stepped up. Ara found them both attractive, but her eyes were drawn to the younger of the two. He had dark red hair and deep blue eyes. His skin was freckled, but not in a bad way. He looked nearly tan. She felt a small spark in the back of her mind when she shook his hand.

"I'm Charlie," he said softly, he seemed to be looking just as intently at her.

A cough came and the two of them broke apart. Ara reached out and shook the hand of the other red head, who turned out to be Bill.

When she turned to the last man in the group, she felt a flash of recognition spread up her spine. He was handsome and had aristocratic features. He held himself confidently and had dark hair and gray eyes.

He put out his hand to shake hers with a small, warm smile on his face "I'm Sirius Black," he said.

Ara gasped softly. She couldn't be here. It shouldn't have surprised her that he would be here, rumor was he was a friend of the Potters, but it was bad enough that she had been speaking with the Potters and the Weasley's, two of the biggest blood traitor families in the wizarding world, but to actually, shake hands with Sirius, someone who had been burned off their family tree.

She took a step back and wiped her hands on her pants. "I must go," she said quickly. "Please don't tell anyone I was here," she said as she glanced at the others. She turned and walked away, leaving behind a confused group of people.

* * *

"Weird," James said watching as the girl walked away. "Did she look familiar to you?" he asked his friend who was still looking offended at getting snubbed on the handshake.

"Yeah," he said.

James elbowed in the side and shrugged. "She seemed to recognize you," he said.

Sirius shook his head "she needs to learn some manners, that's certain."

James snorted and slapped his friend on the back.

"Charlie certainly seemed to like her," Bill said, throwing his arm around his brother who was still staring in the direction Ara had walked away.

Charlie turned and glared at his brother.

"I think you're in lust," he said, shaking his head as though he were disappointed, although a small smile tugged at his lips.

Charlie shook his head "she's pretty, I'll give her that, but I'm not in love and I won't ever be in love," he said determinedly.

"You do realize that your mind heard 'love' when I actually said that you were in 'lust'" Bill said, putting an emphasis on the last word.

Charlie's face tinted pink "oh," he said quietly, causing laughter to go among the group.

"It's alright Char, she was very distracting with her long wavy black hair and her green eyes… and her nice rack," he added, causing the older Weasley to whack his son across the head while Charlie just laughed.

Charlie shook his head "It wasn't like that," he said thoughtfully "It was just… I don't know, forget it." He said and he pushed his brother's arm away before heading into the tent.

Bill simply shrugged and began helping his father put up the other tent.

"Where'd Harry go?" Sirius asked James.

"To go get water," James responded, taking a seat beside Remus.

"I'm going to go find him," Sirius said with an evil grin.

James looked at his friend and shrugged "Don't cause too much trouble" he said although it was clear he didn't care.

"No magic!" Remus shouted as Sirius began walking away looking for his godson.

* * *

Ara was in awe at the sight of the Quidditch World Cup. The stadium was packed with people, all craning their necks hoping to get the first peek at the Quidditch players. She continued climbing the stairs with her family, although she couldn't help but fall behind on the rich purple carpet, ever so slightly. They reached the very top and Ara found herself entering a small box, situated halfway between the golden goal posts. They truly were the best seats in the stadium and the small box room seemed to be able to fit about twenty people.

She was surprised to see that two of the rows were already full and she grimaced at her luck. It just so happened to be filled with the very people who she ran into earlier that day. She avoided making eye contact with them, although she could feel eyes following her as she followed her family up the steps.

The Minister of Magic was already there as was another man, who Ara recognized as the Bulgarian Minister, although she had never met him herself. He wore robes of black velvet which had gold trim and she noticed Minister Fudge was speaking to him rather loudly. It seemed he didn't know much English.

Ara stood up straighter, reminding herself she was a pure blood.

"Ah, Fudge," Lucius said, reaching out and shaking the Minister's hand. "How are you?" he asked, not waiting for an answer. Lucius turned towards the three of them "I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa? Or our son Draco? Or my niece, Ara?" he asked, indicating each of them in turn.

"How do you do, How do you do? Said Fudge, smiling and bowing to Narcissa and shaking hands with Draco and Ara. Ara smiled and nodded politely.

"Let me introduce you to Mr. Obalonsk… well, he's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic and he can't understand a word I am saying anyway, so nevermind." He said, although it appeared he did understand some, as he offered a bow to the four of them.

Ara reached forward to shake the Minister's hand "Здравейте, приятно ми е да се запознаем. Казвам се Ara," she said. She had learned Bulgarian while attending Durmstrang. She had many friends who spoke it, although she found she still struggled with understanding what they were saying.

The minister's eyes widened in surprise, but he shook her hand enthusiastically, "Вие присъствате Durmstrang?"

Ara nodded and glanced at her uncle out of the corner of her eyes. He was nodding at her in approval that the connection was a good thing.

"Нека ви разкрия една тайна," the minister said, still holding onto Ara's hand. "аз говоря английски"

Ara laughed, the minister told her that he could speak English and she was surprised at the sense of humor. He seemed to be fooling the Minister of Magic in England.

"Няма да кажа," she said, promising not to tell his secret. She turned back to her family and was surprised to see an almost gleeful expression on Fudge's face.

"You speak Bulgarian! That's excellent, I may be using you later miss Malfoy," he said.

Ara looked surprised at being called a Malfoy and spared a quick glance at the group behind her, most of whom were looking at her with interest. She then turned to her Uncle, knowing he was going correct the minister.

"she is actually a Lestrange, Fudge," Malfoy said, gesturing to his niece.

Fudge's facial expression seemed to change and Ara began willing herself not to turn red. She didn't like being associated with that name, not because she hated her mother, but because she hated that people associated her with all the dark deeds her mother did. That's why she never said it when introducing herself.

"very well, uh miss Les-Lestrange," Fudge said, stumbling over his words.

"I can assure you Minister, that she was raised by us. She is as innocent as our sweet Draco," Narcissa said and Ara was iimmensely grateful to her aunt. Her aunt rarely ever stood up for her.

"Of course of course," Fudge said returning to his bubbly personality. "I apologize, some names are just hard to forget," he said. "Maybe you should change it to Malfoy," he said with a laugh. "now let's see," he said, looking at changing the subject. "I do believe Lucius that you know Arthur Weasley and James Potter," he said gesturing behind them.

The air seemed to get thicker as the environment tensed. James, Arthur, and Sirius were glaring at Lucius with what Ara could only describe as hatred. She was secretly pleading that no one would mention she met them earlier.

"Good lord, Arthur," Lucius said softly. "What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box?"

Fudge wasn't listening and said "Lucius has just given a very generous contribution to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, he is here as my guest," he said with a smile.

"How nice," James said with a strained smile.

Ara glanced at her uncle and noticed his gaze switch from James to a small bushy haired girl. The girl went pink, but she was staring back determinedly. Her uncle's lip curled and he gave her a cold look. Ara couldn't help but wonder what made him look at a young girl like that. She was a teenager, what could she have possibly done?

Lucius didn't say anything, but filed into his seat with his wife and son following behind him.

"Slimy git," Ara heard the younger red head say. She held back a snort. She took a chance and glanced at the family and connected eyes with Charlie, whom she had met earlier. He offered her a smile, which Ara was surprised to see, given their families history. She winked at him and took her seat beside her cousin, just in time for Ludo Bagman to begin the commentary and for the Quidditch World Cup to begin.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – The Aftermath

"I was absolutely not into the veela," Connor was adamant. He was laying on his side, facing Ara who was laying on her back, staring at the stars. They had walked for miles, getting away from the cheering and raucous singing.

Ara laughed. "I honestly don't care if you were, I thought they were quite pretty myself," she said and she sent a wink at Connor.

Connor laughed before leaning forward and planting a kiss on her lips. Ara could taste the firewhisky and figured they had both probably had too much. Connor leaned back and took another swig of liquor.

Ara sighed and looked back at the stars. Her mind drifting to her earlier conversation with Lucius. He had been proud of her. It happened so rarely, that Ara wasn't sure how she felt about it. But she knew one of her many feelings was satisfaction. Satisfied that she had finally done something right. Another of her feelings was disappointment, but that was because he had said the connections she made this year were vital to her success in politics. A field she didn't want to go into.

"Where'd you go?" Connor asked. He was staring intently at Ara, a difficult feat given his mental state.

Ara shrugged. "What do you want to do after school?"

"hmmm" Connor hummed "Play professional Quidditch of course," he said, but Ara could tell he wasn't being entirely honest. His smile faltered at the look in her eye that told him she didn't believe a single thing. "I think I'd like to be a healer," he said honestly, his speech slurring at the end.

Ara was surprised, but gave him a supportive smile. He was always so tough, so macho, so domineering, that seeing him be a healer, someone who takes care of people was surprising. "you'd be an excellent healer," she said honestly.

"What about you?" he asked, poking her side.

"well uncle Lucius wants me to join the ministry and get involved in politics…" she hesitated "but I think I want to work with creatures," she said quietly.

Connor looked at her confused. "Creatures?" he asked.

Ara nodded "like hippogriffs and nifflers and you know… dragons and stuff," she said, her eyes lighting up at the thought.

Connor smiled "I've known you for six years and never had any idea how much you loved creatures."

Ara laughed "what's not to love? They're fascinating! And there must be so much more that we don't even know about," she said, sitting up and facing Connor.

"then you should do it… who cares what Lucius wants? It's your life," he said honestly. Ara smiled knowing Connor had never been too fond of Lucius.

Ara's excitement drained from her eyes and she laid back on her back. "He would never approve," she said quietly.

"Come on Ara," Connor said "you might get to work with veela," he finished quietly, a hiccup escaping his lips.

Ara let out a bark of laughter, but it was drowned out by the high pitched yells in the distance. The mood changed suddenly as Ara looked back towards the campsite. It felt as though her heart jumped into her stomach as she saw the flashes of light, the smoke rising in the distance, and heard the blood curdling screams while people appeared to be sprinting towards them.

"Draco," she said quietly a she flipped onto her stomach and stood up on shaky legs. Connor jumped up beside her and began running towards the campsite, not waiting for Ara. The two of them seemed to sober up quickly as the adrenaline began to flow through their veins.

It took a moment for Ara to get her grounding before she began to sprint after Connor. She lost him once they hit the campsite as people were fighting against the traffic as people were trying to get away. As they got closer to the fray, she realized what everyone was afraid of. There were a crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with their wands pointing straight upward. They were marching cross the field floating a small group of muggles, a family maybe. The figures wore masks over their face while their hooded cloaks covered the rest of them so it was unclear of who they were.

Ara felt fear, not of the cloaked figures, but of who was behind the cloaks. She knew her family wasn't innocent and that if there was anything they believed in whole heartedly it was blood purity, clearly a view shared by this group of wizards. She hesitated momentarily, what if she intervened and accidently uncovered her uncle?

Ara shook her head and glanced at the figures floating in midair. They were being contorted into grotesque shapes and Ara made up her mind as she saw that two of the figures were small… children.

She rushed forward into the fray as one of the small children began to spin like a top, sixty feet above the ground, his head flopping limply from side to side. The sight made her sick and she couldn't stop the small feeling of disgust that she felt at that moment towards her family.

People were putting out fires all around, but no one was attacking the cloaked figures. It appeared that they were afraid that attacking them might cause the small family to fall.

She shook her head, it seemed simple enough. Break the curse from masked figure to muggle, re-create the curse, then summon the muggle. She pulled her hood up so it was covering her face, hoping she would go unrecognized… by both sides.

She ran towards a familiar figure, someone who she had met earlier that morning.

"Charlie," she yelled as she neared him.

He looked at her confused for a moment before his eyes shone with recognition and another thing that Ara couldn't place. Relief?

"I need your help," she said when she was close enough that he could hear. "You need to cut the spell to one of the children, and I'll levitate them to safety," she said.

Charlie shook his head "it's dangerous," he said, looking back at the family with a grimace. "if we fight them the muggles could fall and they won't live after a sixty-foot drop," he said, glancing at Bill who was attempting to put out a fire that had sprung up near them.

Ara shook her head "cut the spell without fighting them," she said, glancing at the figures who appeared to be getting closer to them.

Charlie looked at her confused "how?"

" _Secar,"_ She said. "say that and wave your wand straight to the side. It'll cut the spell and I'll take care of the rest," she finished. She hesitated only briefly, studying the cloaked figures. "Focus on the four in the back, they are controlling the little boy," she said, pointing in their direction.

Charlie glanced back at Bill, he seemed almost nervous about taking her advice. Ara couldn't really blame him, there was little doubt that it was her family in the cloaks and everyone knew they were dark.

"Ready?" he said, looking at her determinedly, wand pointing out in front of him.

Ara nodded and held hers out in front as well.

" _Secar!_ " he shouted, slicing his wand through the air.

The boy in the back began to fall as Ara whispered " _Impervitae_ " and the kid rose once more, this time lying almost angelically.

The group of cloaked wizards who had lost control looked up at the child confused. Ara began moving him quickly towards where she and Charlie were, the figures began to react and attempt to gain control once more, but before they were able to do so, Ara jumped behind Charlie as the boy flew into his outstretched arms. Charlie grunted as he caught the boy, and the two of them landed on the ground. The boy wasn't injured, but was unconscious and Ara couldn't help but think maybe it was better that way.

Charlie stood up and handed the young boy to his brother before Ara grabbed his arm and the two of them ran so they had a better view of the other child, a girl. They followed the same routine and managed to get the girl from harms way. As the two of them began running through the crowd they found that they weren't alone. Several of the Death Eaters who recently lost control of the girl, began shooting spells, attempting to hit them. Ara was a safe distance away when she turned to see Charlie on the ground, grabbing at his shoulder and clutching his arm to his side which was bleeding profusely.

" _Protego!"_ She shouted to protect him from further spells. She hadn't been the only one who had shouted that spell however, and before she realized she was staring in the face of Sirius Black as he protected the two of them from further curses.

"Help him, will you?" he said expectantly.

Ara hesitated only briefly, glancing at Sirius and then back to Charlie. She ran to Charlie's side as Sirius began firing curses back at the three approaching Death Eaters.

She whispered a spell, causing thick bandages to cover Charlie's stomach and shoulder, applying pressure to help stop the bleeding.

Charlie groaned in relief and took Ara's offered hand to stand up. The two of them began running, and they were followed closely by Sirius and the Death Eaters, although there appeared to be only two.

Ara looked back as Sirius fell to the ground, A large gash on his leg. Charlie shot a curse, knocking out another one of the Death Eaters so there was only one still pursuing.

Before Ara had time to think she felt herself being knocked off her feet as her hood slipped and her wand flew out of her hand.

She looked up to find one of the Death Eaters leaning over her. She wasn't afraid of them, but she didn't want Lucius to realize she'd been the one fighting them.

"What on earth will dear Lucius think? His niece out here playing the hero?" he asked and Ara recognized the voice immediately.

"He'll never find out will he Crabbe?" she asked maliciously.

"You honestly expect me to keep your secret when your uncle is one of my oldest friends?" he asked and Ara could hear the smile in his voice.

Ara shook her head, a smirk appearing on her face "I'd never trust you to keep a secret," she said before she shoved her foot into his knee, hearing a snap as his leg bent backwards. She reached forward, ripped off his mask and grabbed his face. " _obliviate_ ," she whispered. Crabbe's eyes went blank before he slipped into unconsciousness. Ara put his mask back on and pulled her hood back up, covering her face.

She looked up to find both Charlie and Sirius staring at her, eyes wide, the latter of whom was still on the ground clutching his bleeding leg.

Before she or they could say anything, there was a burst of green light that was shot into the sky. Ara could see the skull with the serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue and she gasped, she couldn't remember having seen the mark in person, only ever in photographs.

The entire neighborhood from the forest to the campsite erupted with screams. Ara watched as all the Death Eaters began disapparating, leaving the two remaining muggles to fall. Ara breathed a sigh of relieve when they were caught by people who appeared to be ministry officials. Another group of wizards were gathering in a circle, and before Ara had time to consider what they were doing, they disapparated.

Ara decided it wasn't a time for her to be hanging around as she had no idea what her family was doing. Her aunt and uncle had disappeared and she had no idea where Draco was. With one last glance at the other two, Ara began running in the direction of her tent.

It took her nearly five minutes to find her way back to her tent. She was grateful it was still standing. She ran through the front, fully prepared to explain that she was in the forest the whole time, but she hadn't need to worry since there was no one else there. She looked around, the place was a mess. There were empty liquor bottles littered throughout the tent and it was clear that the party that began after the Wizard World Cup had gotten a bit out of hand.

She walked around and began magicing the trash into the bin. She had been cleaning for nearly five minutes when someone else entered her tent and Ara was relieved to see that Draco was shaken, but unharmed.

She walked quickly to him and pulled him into a quick hug, one that he sank into gratefully.

"Where were you?" she asked

"The forest," he said. "Mum and Dad told me to go there… they were drunk," he said, almost embarrassed. "They said they were going out and I needed to stay hidden."

Ara nodded. Her aunt and uncle may have been Death Eaters, but they wouldn't stake their reputation without someone to follow and it was risky doing something so dangerous in front of so many wizards and witches.

"Where were you?" he asked.

Ara hesitated, she loved her cousin dearly, but didn't know how he'd feel about the situation.

"I was with Connor when the fight started and then I ran into the forest," she said.

Draco nodded in acceptance, not really paying attention. "Did Connor go with you?" he asked.

Ara shook her head no. "he ran off to fight."

Draco nodded again "why didn't you go with him?"

"Well, when I realized who they were, I decided it wasn't in my best interest." She said with a smirk. That was the Malfoy thing to say.

Draco laughed, "where do you think they are?" he sounded worried and Ara couldn't blame him. She knew they got out alright, but he hadn't been there.

"I heard someone saying that all the Death Eaters disapparated… They probably went home," she said with a grimace when Draco frowned.

Draco sighed and nodded in acceptance "should we sleep?" he asked, looking longingly at the bed.

Ara nodded and ran her hand through Draco's blonde hair. "We'll get a few hours and then be off," she said, giving him another hug before heading to her own bed.

"Ara?" Draco said when the two of them were in their beds and the lights were off.

"Yes Draco?"

"Thanks for not being with them," he said quietly.

Ara smiled, she knew what he meant. She was seventeen, had just turned seventeen a month prior. If the Dark Lord were still around, she'd be one of them. If she hadn't been out with Connor, they would have convinced her to join them as well.

"Of course Draco," she responded quietly. She sighed in relief, incredibly grateful that she had decided to leave the party when she had.

* * *

The two of them packed up quickly and Ara didn't even hesitate to use magic to break down the tent.

They began their walk towards the portkeys, although Ara was only doing it because of how much Draco hated apparating. She would have rather they just disapparated straight from camp, but he was adamant that with the lack of sleep and excitement of the night before he'd be sick.

They walked through the campsite, it appeared that most people had already packed up and left, but those who hadn't gone yet were getting ready to leave by this point.

Ara's breathing quickened as she realized that the Potters and Weasley's hadn't yet left, but were actually packing up their tents.

She made eye contact with Charlie, but shook her head quickly, begging him not to say anything.

"Where are you parents Malfoy?" The person who asked it was a red head, Ara assumed it must have been one of the Weasley. He was standing next to Harry Potter and speaking softly enough so his father couldn't hear him. What was his name? Ron, that's right. Draco had mentioned him before.

"What are you on about Weasley?" Draco asked although it was clear he knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Why don't you tell us what your parents were doing last night?" Ron said more confidently, moving towards her and Draco, a look of anger on his face.

Their presence seemed to catch the attention of the others and Bill began making his way towards Ron, whether it was to help him or to stop him, Ara wasn't sure. She and Draco stopped as well, Draco glanced at her as though hoping for her to do all the talking.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Ara asked Ron, although she knew perfectly well who he was.

Ron looked surprised at being addressed by Ara. "Ron," he said.

Ara nodded "I'm Ara," she said with a small nod, not offering her hand. "Now that we've met for the very first time I can assure you that where Draco's parents were is absolutely none of concern or business," she said coldly.

Ron took a step back and Ara noticed Arthur, James, and Remus moving closer. Ara spared a glance at Sirius and noticed that he hadn't moved at all, but was instead looking at her curiously. Like he was trying to figure her out.

"All I mean is that they were the ones out there controlling those muggles," Ron said, glaring at Draco. "That would explain why they aren't with you now, they ran away."

Draco opened his mouth to speak, Ara was certain it was probably some nasty retort, but she wouldn't let him. She pulled him back by the elbow and stepped towards Ron, looking at the other members of the group, rather than Ron.

"If Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa were among that group, as you suggested, why would they be offering their services to the ministry at this very moment to help capture the people responsible?" Ara asked softly, but loud enough for everyone to hear. "I suggest you not spread nasty rumors simply because you are jealous of their esteem." She finished as she grabbed Draco by the arm and began dragging him away, careful not to make eye contact with any of them.

* * *

Ara closed the door quietly, her anger at her aunt and uncle building as the silence of the manor filled her ears.

"Why don't you go on to bed?" Ara turned to Draco, gesturing towards the stairs.

Draco hesitated and glanced past Ara towards his parents' quarters. He glanced back at Ara and sighed with resignation.

"Fine," he said, not arguing, "I would tell you not to piss them off, but they have it coming," he said with a heavy sigh.

Ara walked to her Uncle's quarters and didn't bother knocking before flinging open the door. The two of them were sleeping soundly in their king bed. She walked to the windows and opened the blinds, letting light stream into the room.

The two of them began to stir at the sudden light that filled the room.

"What do you think you are doing Ara," Lucius said, followed by a groan. He clutched his head and shut his eyes. Dizziness seemed to get ahold of him as he began to sit up in bed.

Ara scoffed "What am I doing? What the bloody hell were you doing!?" she shouted, glaring at the two of them.

Narcissa rubbed her hand on her face before glancing at her husband.

Lucius shook his head "reminiscing," he said plainly. "And who do you think you are waking us up and telling us what to do?" he asked, flipping off the covers and standing. He seemed to be building in anger.

Ara laughed bitterly, "Who am I? I'm the one who covered for your asses and ensured you _son_ got home safe," she said harshly.

Her uncle began to speak, but Ara was having none of it. "you are always talking to me about protecting your reputation and being careful. Well, what you did was stupid. I get that you were drunk and wanted to have some fun, but did you stop to think of the consequences? What if you were caught? Your 'reputation' that you are so proud of would be destroyed, you'd be in Azkaban, and your son would be paying the consequences."

Lucius seemed to melt a little at her speech and Narcissa was staring sadly at her.

"That would never happen," he said firmly.

"no?" she asked, anger rippling off of her in waves. "didn't my mother say the same thing? Have you forgotten that everyone flinches when I say my name? Do you really want that for Draco?"

Lucius and Narcissa grew quiet and Ara was glad to see that her words seemed to have an effect on them.

"Of course not darling," Narcissa said softly, reaching forward and grabbing her husband's hand. "It won't happen again, thank you for protecting your cousin," she said and Ara took a step back at the knowing look in her aunt's eyes. She realized that her Aunt wasn't simply referring to ensuring that he got home after the whole ordeal.

Ara nodded in acceptance. "Who shot up the dark mark?" she asked.

Lucius glanced at Narcissa before shaking his head. "We don't know," he said simply and Ara knew that her time for questioning was over.

She nodded once more before making her way to the door. "You may want to go to the ministry today and offer your services," she said in an after thought before leaving their quarters and closing the door with a snap behind her.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Hogwarts

"How was your summer?" Anna asked Ara as the two of them walked down the halls of Durmstrang, clutching their bags tightly.

"Oh you know," Ara said with a sigh. "Spent half the summer grounded and spent the other half having the time of my life," she said with a smirk.

Anna rolled her eyes "I don't understand why you do that… Why do something you know will get you into trouble?"

Ara struggled responding to her friend "Well… Part of me knows I'll get into trouble no matter what I do, while the other part of me wants to piss my uncle off."

Anna shook her head but wore a fond smile.

The two of them made their way into the dining area and Ara caught sight of one Viktor Krum, surrounded by a group of what appeared to be fifth-year girls all of whom were flirting shamelessly.

She sent a small wave towards Anna before heading in the direction of the small group. She squeezed her way in between the fifth years and plopped down next to Viktor Krum.

"My god," she said breathlessly "you're Viktor Krum!"

She grabbed onto his arm tightly "please Viktor, will you sign my bra?" she asked and pulled down her shirt enough to show the top of her bra.

Viktor laughed and gave her a playful shove on the arm "you are ridiculous," he said.

Ara sent a flirty smile to Viktor before turning to the others "now if you piranhas don't mind, I'd like some time alone with my boyfriend," she said before turning back and kissing him on the cheek.

A couple of the girls had skirted away as soon as Ara came over, while the others gave her a glare after her comment, but turned and left without protest.

Viktor shook his head "I don't recall ven ve started dating," he said with a small smile directed towards Ara. Anyone who knew them knew that they were more like brother and sister.

Ara looked back at him with a confused expression "I don't recall telling them we were dating…. Oh," she began dramatically "when I said boyfriend they thought I meant…" Ara trailed off, a smirk on her face.

"I vonder how they came to that conclusion," he said sarcastically.

The two of them fell silent, while Ara put food on her plate.

"Vat did you think of the cup?" Viktor asked.

"You did amazing," Ara said honestly.

Viktor shook his head as though he disagreed.

"Honestly Viktor, your team may suck, but you are excellent," she said. "I don't know many seekers who would cause the other seeker to bleed profusely from the nose without even touching them."

Viktor laughed and shook his head"thanks … I shouldn't be surprised that you enjoyed the violence." he hesitated only briefly before asking "have you decided?"

Ara nodded "I'm going to enter the tournament… If I get in and win, well maybe my uncle will be pleased enough to let me do what I want," she suggested with a shrug.

Viktor nodded "do you vant me to keep my name out?"

Ara shook her head adamantly "of course not… If you want to enter the tournament you should. The cup will choose and honestly, if it chooses you, you know I will be at the sidelines cheering you on," she said passionately.

"me too," he said, squeezing her hand gently. "I just thought… I mean I'm your only real competition here," he said quietly.

Ara snorted "there's that arrogance that I love so much."

"vell it is true, is it not?"

Ara nodded, there was little doubt in her mind that it would be either her or Viktor that was chosen. She wasn't even entirely certain that she wanted to enter, not that it frightened her, but there was something in her gut that suggested this year would be difficult. She figured at the very least she could let the gods or fates decide whether it be her or Viktor.

Anna and Connor came over and joined them shortly before their class began, and the four of them made their way to their Dark Arts course.

* * *

The castle was huge and despite the fact that she had never seen it up close, a strong feeling of familiarity rushed over her.

It was far warmer than it was at Durmstrang at this time of year. The sun was setting, the grass was green, and there wasn't even a chill in the air, at least she didn't think so, although by the looks of it, some of the Hogwarts students were shivering.

They made their way to the castle doors, Ara was sandwiched between Anna and Viktor and the three of them stood closely behind Professor Karkaroff. There were rows of Hogwarts students all along the castle entrance and Ara briefly caught a glimpse of several Slytherins who she knew, given that they had been at her home a time or two.

"Dumbledore!" Karkaroff called heartily as he walked up the slope to the castle. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?"

"Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff," the old wizard with colorful robes and a long white beard said. Ara had heard of him many times, mostly muttered under her uncles' breath.

"Dear old Hogwarts," Karkaroff said as he shook Dumbledore's hand with both of his own. "How good it is to be here, how good… Viktor, come along, into the warmth… you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold…" Karkaroff trailed off, beckoning Viktor forward.

Viktor gave an exasperated look towards Ara but followed his Professor into the castle.

Ara laughed and followed her annoyed friend. She made eye contact with Dumbledore, who offered her a small bow. Ara smiled in response but didn't say anything. He was looking at her intently, a curious look on his face. Ara felt a slight push at her mind before she thought 'ligilimens' and broke her eye contact.

She looked around at the Hogwarts students, their eyes seemed to be fastened to Viktor, which made sense given his celebrity status.

Ara caught eye contact with Harry Potter, the boy she met at the Quidditch World Cup. He gave her a small smile and she winked in response. As she turned into what appeared to be their dining area, she saw Harry Potter's father, James, she remembered. He was standing near a beautiful woman with long red hair and vivid green eyes, the same as Harry's.

"Vhere should ve sit," Viktor asked as he turned back towards Ara.

Ara glanced at her fellow classmates, all of whom seemed unsure and seemed to be looking at herself and Viktor to make the first move. Ara saw a flash of blonde at the far end and she smiled brightly. For the first time ever she'd be at the same school as her younger cousin. She made her way over to the Slytherin table and sat down next to Draco, the rest of her friends and classmates following suite. She pulled off her cloak and glanced up at the enchanted ceiling, grateful to finally be experiencing Hogwarts.

When all of the students were seated, the professors and staff entered the Great Hall. Dumbledore, Karkaroff and Madame Maxime brought up the rear. As the Headmasters entered the room, the Beauxbatons students leaped to their feet, which was followed by laughter from some of the Hogwarts students. Ara shrugged at Draco, who laughed. It seemed to be a sign of respect.

Dumbledore stood up in front of his seat and began speaking "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests," he said, beaming around at the foreign students. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable. The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast, I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!"

When Dumbledore sat, Karkaroff leaned forward and engaged him in rapid conversation.

The plates in front of them filled with food, and Ara noticed that there were many different types of cuisine served. Some of it she didn't recognize and she assumed that they must be popular in France, others she recognized as common dishes served at Durmstrang. She filled her plate, ensuring that she took something from every school. When she glanced at Draco's plate she frowned. It seemed that his two so called friends were making fun of some of the food and Draco looked on with disgust.

She rolled her eyes, grabbed a bowl, and poured a thick soup that was popular at Durmstrang, especially on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

"Shkembe," she said when she plopped it down in front of Draco.

He looked at her warily but took a bite of the hot soup anyways. His eyes widened, but he liked it well enough to take another bite.

"don't tell your father," Ara began, leaning close to her cousin "but Shkembe is also an excellent way to cure a hangover," she said, causing Draco to snort and begin coughing.

"you've been drunk?" he asked quietly.

Ara rolled her eyes and glanced at Connor who was sitting across from her smirking. "you haven't?" she asked jokingly.

Draco shook his head and looked back towards his friend, jumping into their conversation about Quidditch.

"What's this?" Draco asked a short while later, grabbing a pastry, covered in powdered sugar.

"Tikvenik," Connor said, taking a bite of his own piece.

Draco continued staring at Connor, waiting for further explanation before eating the sweet smelling pastry.

"It's a Pumpkin Pastry," he said with a small smile towards the young boy.

Draco smiled and took a large bite out of the pastry.

Ara smiled fondly at him, she knew how much he loved pumpkin.

Ara's smile turned into a frown, she could feel eyes drilling into the side of her head. She glanced around and noticed that two more people had joined the staff table up front. Ara recognized one of them as Ludo Bagman, the commentator of the Quidditch World Cup, the other one she didn't recognize, but he seemed far too serious to be in a tournament such as this.

While she glanced around, she realized that it wasn't one set of eyes, but rather two sets that were fixated on her. One set belonged to a highly scarred man, with a wooden leg and a fake eye. The other belonged to none other than Sirius Black. He looked away quickly when she made eye contact with him and began a conversation with the other man she met at the World Cup. Lupin… that was his name.

She nudged Draco and pointed towards the head table, "they were all at the World Cup as we were leaving," she said.

Draco glanced at where she was looking and nodded with a grimace. "Potter teaches History of Magic, Black teaches Astronomy, Lupin is some sort of a tutor for idiots, and Potter's wife teaches muggle studies," he said quickly. "Father thinks it's favoritism that they were all able to get jobs here when none of them are qualified."

Ara nodded, while she doubted that it was favoritism, she did think it strange that four friends ended up working in the same place.

Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension seemed to fill the Hall now. Ara felt a slight thrill of excitement, wondering what was coming.

"The moment has come," said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket… just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation" - there was a smattering of polite applause - "and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports. "

There was a round of applause for the two new comers.

"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore continued, "and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts. "

At the mention of the word "champions," the attentiveness of the listening students seemed to sharpen. Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed their sudden stillness, for he smiled as he said, "The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch. "

An unkempt man approached Dumbledore, carrying a great wooden chest that was encrusted with jewels. A murmur of voices spread throughout the hall and several young Hogwarts students began standing on their chairs to get a better look.

There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways. .. their magical prowess - their daring - their powers of deduction - and, of course, their ability to cope with danger. "

At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing.

"As you know, three champions compete in the tournament," Dumbledore went on calmly, "one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire. "

Dumbledore now took out his wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames.

Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall.

"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet," said Dumbledore. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete.

"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation," said Dumbledore, "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line.

"Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all. "

Ara sighed in relief and glanced at her classmates. Those who were entering their name for the tournament appeared to be nervous, while those not entering were muttering excitedly towards each other.

"what do you think cousin?" Draco asked, catching her attention. "Should I break the age line."

Ara scoffed and shook her head "your arrogance is astounding," she said jokingly. "I realize Uncle Lucius may not think highly of Dumbledore, but he is still a powerful wizard, not to be fooled by a fourteen-year-old."

Draco looked at her slightly offended. "you really don't think I could enter?" he asked.

Ara shook her head "no way in hell," she said honestly, smirking.

Draco seemed to take it as a challenge because he put down his glass and began whispering conspiringly towards Goyle.

"Back to the ship then," Karkaroff announced, walking towards his students.

"sleep tight," Ara said to Draco, rubbing her hand across his hair, messing it up and causing him to groan in annoyance.

"Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?" Karkaroff asked as he approached Viktor, completely ignoring the other students around him.

Ara rolled her eyes, she wasn't jealous of Viktor in the slightest. If anything she felt sorry for him. But it was rather disgusting the way that Karkaroff favored him, simply because he was a Quidditch star.

Viktor shook his head and pulled back on his fur cloak.

"Professor, Ivood like some vine," said a boy named Adrian. Ara could hear the sarcasm in his voice, but it seemed to be missed by Karkaroff.

"I wasn't offering it to you, Poliakoff," snapped Karkaroff, his warmly paternal air vanishing in an instant. "I notice you have dribbled food all down the front of your robes again, disgusting boy -"

Ara stood up, grabbed Connor's offered arm and followed Karkaroff out of the hall. As they reached the entrance, they nearly ran into Harry Potter and his friend Ron. Ara glanced at the other girl, with bushy hair who had also been at the World Cup and realized that she must have been Hermione. Draco had also spoken a lot about her, she was a highly intelligent witch by the sound of it, even if she was a muggle born.

"Thank you," Karkaroff said as Harry and his friends stopped to let them pass. Ara came to a sudden halt behind her professor. He had frozen in place staring at Harry and Ara noticed him staring straight at his forehead. Some of the other students made the connection, Adrian had nudged Kara and pointed towards Harry's head.

"Honestly Professor," Ara said loudly enough to gather the attention of everyone in their vicinity. "Have you never met a celebrity before?" she asked with a small laugh.

Her classmates laughed with her, but Karkaroff was not amused.

"watch your tongue miss Lestrange," he said quietly before turning and stalking out of the great hall, his students following behind them, all glancing once more at Harry.

Ara let go of Connor and hung back behind her classmates "sorry about that," she said to Harry, for whatever reason she felt the need to apologize for her inconsiderate professor.

Harry smiled at her and shrugged. Hermione was smiling as well, but Ara could feel the glare from Ron. Clearly, he was still holding a grudge from what she said to him after the cup.

"Yeah, that's Harry Potter," said a growling voice from behind her. Ara spun around and came face to face with the man who had been staring at her earlier. He was followed closely by James Potter and his wife.

"I don't believe we've met," Ara said, shaking off the uncomfortable feeling this man left her with. "I'm Ara Lestrange," she said confidently, sticking out her hand to shake hers.

The man simply stared at her offered hand and clutched his staff tighter.

Ara let her hand drop and smirked at the man. "You must be Alastor Moody… My uncle did say they hired you at Hogwarts." She said, glaring at him as she felt him attempt to enter her mind. "Clearly you are unaware that it is only polite to accept a handshake from a person whether or not you hate their parents. It doesn't mean we have to be best of friends, simply that we are acquaintances… and if you don't mind, I only let people who are acquaintances attempt to enter my mind…" she said coldly. "Trust me Alastor, it's never a good idea to make enemies before you even know a person," she said, causing Moody to gruff in response.

"Ara," came a voice from the door and she turned to see Connor leaning against the wall waiting for her.

She took a step towards him, but glanced once more at Harry "sleep well Harry," she said, offering him a small smile. She couldn't explain it, but she was fond of the young celebrity. She didn't know him well, but he was far different than Draco had described him. He was sweet and quiet and she felt the overwhelming urge to keep him safe. An urge she only ever felt when it came to Draco.

She reached forward and grabbed Connor's hand, not bothering to look back at the small group of people still huddled by the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks mrsblack0905 for all your reviews! they are greatly appreciated.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, everything belongs to JK Rowling.

 **Chapter 4**

It was early in the morning on Saturday. Ara always hated Halloween. For whatever reason, it had always been a daunting day. Lucius always said that was because it was the day the dark arts fell, but she knew that wasn't it.

She watched as her friends and classmates put their names into the goblet one by one. She waited until everyone had finished before brushing off her friends and encouraging them to go on without her.

"I'll catch up with you later," she said as Anna and Connor hesitated. They gave her one last glance before leaving.

She stared down at the small scrap of paper clutched tightly in her hand. She took a deep breath as she stared back at the fire. She wasn't nervous, not in the sense of being frightened or anxious. She wasn't nervous about the dangers of the tournament or what it would mean if she was chosen. She wasn't anxious that she wouldn't be chosen. As she stared at that parchment she knew it was going to change her life and it was that thought that made her nervous.

"You don't have to put your name in you know."

Ara glanced up quickly only to see Sirius Black striding towards her. She stood up and took a couple of steps backward.

Sirius shook his head "do I scare you?" he asked astonished and Ara knew that out of all the Black's, Sirius was not someone who most people were afraid of.

Ara rolled her eyes and shook her head "Of course not," she said.

"So why do you keep running at the sight of me?"

Ara looked towards the blue flame, considering her words only briefly. "You were burned off the family tree," she said bluntly.

Sirius shrugged "I'm still a Black," he said nonchalantly "the last of the Blacks as a matter of fact."

Ara shook her head a took a couple of more steps towards the fire.

"you're not like them… The rest of your family," he said softly.

Ara glared at him "of course I am."

Sirius shook his head "You saved those muggles."

"Hush," Ara said quickly.

Sirius raised his hands in surrender "look, I won't tell your secrets, but if they ever hurt you, or you feel the need to get away… Well we are family," he said and Ara could hear the seriousness in his voice.

Ara walked up to the fire and threw her name into the Goblet. "I can take care of myself," she said and she stalked past him, out of the Entrance Hall.

She entered the corridor only to walk in on a conversation that was probably personal.

"Not today James," Harry's mother had said "It's Halloween and I can't think about the changes and about Death Eaters," she said and Ara could hear the tears in her voice.

They stopped when they saw her approaching.

"Sorry," Ara said quietly, making her way to pass them in the hall. She stopped as she got closer to them and hesitated briefly. "I'm sorry about your loss… Truly," she said quietly with all the sincerity that she could muster.

Harry's mother wiped a few stray tears from her eyes while James smiled at her.

"Thank you," he said softly. "I don't believe you've met my wife, Lily," he said gesturing towards the redhead.

Ara smiled at put out her hand, remembering the incident with Moody the night before. She was relieved when Lily grasped it firmly and said, "it's a pleasure."

"Good luck tonight," James said, glancing at the Entrance Hall behind her.

"Thank you, I hope your day gets better," she said before nodding to the two of them and walking back towards the ship.

* * *

It was already a quarter until six when Ara and her friends made their way down to the Halloween feast. Viktor was walking beside Karkaroff, who was speaking in a hushed tone, ensuring no one else could hear.

As they neared the castle, Viktor hung back and walked next to Ara.

"vhat do you think he vill say if I do not get chosen?" he asked, Ara could hear the laugh in his voice.

"I think he will be more upset that I was chosen than that you weren't chosen," she said with a short laugh.

Viktor smiled and nudged her in the side "ve stand together no matter vhat?" he asked.

Ara nodded "no matter what."

The feast seemed to take forever and Ara found that many of the older students had difficulty eating. When the plates were spotless, Dumbledore got to his feet and the chatter in the hall died down immediately.

"Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" - he indicated the door behind the staff table - "where they will be receiving their first instructions. "

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semi-darkness. The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. Everyone watched, waiting. . . . A few people kept checking their watches. . .

The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it - the whole room gasped.

Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white.

"The champion for Beauxbatons," Dumbledore began "Is Fleur Delacour!"

A girl in blue robes with shiny, long, blond hair rose to her feet. Ara glanced at Connor and mouthed the word "veela." He laughed in response.

She swept down the hall and entered the chamber on the side. The other students of Beauxbatons seemed disappointed, some of the girls were even crying with their heads on their arms.

The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone's attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.

"the Champion for Durmstrang," he read in a strong, clear voice, "will be Ara Lestrange."

The applause at the Slytherin table was deafening, while many students at the other tables seemed to show surprise and concerned while whispering between themselves. Ara watched as many people looked shocked between her and Viktor, surprised that she had won

She made to stand up, before her arms was caught in a tight grip "Good luck," Viktor said, his smile blinding.

Ara leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before making her way up the hall, passed the fearful look of her headmaster and into the side chamber.

When she entered the chamber, Fleur looked back at her quickly. "hello," she said, her French accent thick. "I'm Fleur of Beauxbatons," she said quickly.

Ara shook her hand "Ara of Durmstrang," she said.

They stood there in silence for only moment before the doors opened again and a boy with blonde hair and a charming smile walked through the door.

He looked at the two women and smiled "I'm Cedric."

Ara and Fleur shook his hand and the three of them fell into a comfortable silence, all staring into the fire, thinking of the tournament.

The door opened once more, but rather than the judges entering, Harry Potter entered the chamber, a look of fear plastered onto his face. Ara briefly felt a strong feeling of dread settle into her stomach at the look on his face.

Fleur Delacour looked around when Harry walked in and threw back her sheet of long, silvery hair.

"What is it?" she said. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"

Fleur thought that Harry was there to deliver a message, but Ara had a sneaking suspicion that that wasn't the case. He stood there looking at them, gaping as though he wasn't sure what to say.

There was a sound of scurrying feet behind Harry, and Ludo Bagman entered the room. He took Harry by the arm and led him forward.

"Extraordinary!" he muttered, squeezing Harry's arm. "Absolutely extraordinary! Gentleman. . . ladies," he added, approaching the fireside and addressing the other three. "May I introduce - incredible though it may seem - the fourth Triwizard champion?"

Ara fear was confirmed and she couldn't help but grimace in sympathy, Cedric looked from Bagman to Harry and then back again, as though he must not have heard him properly.

Fleur Delacour tossed her hair, smiling, and said, "Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."

"Joke?" Bagman repeated, bewildered. "No, no, not at all! Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"

Cedric was still looking politely bewildered and Fleur frowned.

"But evidently zair 'as been a mistake," she said contemptuously to Bagman. "'E cannot compete. 'E is too young. "

"Well. . . it is amazing," said Bagman, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Harry. "But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as his name's come out of the goblet. . . I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage. . . . It's down in the rules, you're obliged. . . Harry will just have to do the best he -"

The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Severus Snape, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Harry's parents, the last four rushed to Harry's side. The buzzing of the hundreds of students was heard on the other side of the wall before Snape closed the door.

"Madame Maxime!" said Fleur at once, striding over to her headmistress. "Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!"

Madame Maxime had drawn herself up to her full, and considerable, height. The top of her handsome head brushed the candle-filled chandelier, and her gigantic black-satin bosom swelled.

"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?" she said imperiously.

"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore," said Professor Karkaroff. He was wearing a steely smile, and his blue eyes were like chips of ice. "Two Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions - or have I not read the rules carefully enough?"

He gave a short and nasty laugh.

"C'est impossible," said Madame Maxime, whose enormous hand with its many superb opals was resting upon Fleur's shoulder. "'Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most injust. "

"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever. "Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools. "

"It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff," said Snape softly. His black eyes were alight with malice. "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here -"

"Thank you, Severus," said Dumbledore firmly before the Potters could respond, and Snape went quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently through his curtain of greasy black hair.

Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him. Ara had to admire the confidence that he had when looking at his headmaster.

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" he asked calmly.

"No," said Harry. Snape made a soft noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows.

"Watch it Snape," Sirius said threateningly, taking a step towards the dark-haired man.

"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" said Professor Dumbledore, ignoring Sirius and Snape.

"No," said Harry vehemently.

"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime.

"He could not have crossed the Age Line," said Lily sharply. "I am sure we are all agreed on that -"

"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," said Madame Maxime, shrugging.

"It is possible, of course," said Dumbledore politely.

"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" said Lily angrily. "Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!" She sounded torn. She sounded as though she were fighting between standing up for her son's honesty and wanting him to be as far away from the tournament as possible.

Ara felt a pang of sympathy for Lily and James. They had already lost one child, now another would be entering a dangerous tournament.

"Forgive me," Ara said, causing the room to go quiet "it doesn't seem as though Harry wants anything to do with this tournament," she said, looking sadly at Harry. "I'm sure he'd much rather be with his friends cheering on Cedric than facing goodness knows what sort of stunts we'll be doing. Why on earth would a fourth year try to compete with two seventh years?" she asked as though it were obvious he didn't put in his own name.

Dumbledore gave her a slight smile "well put Miss Lestrange."

"Clearly he's just as arrogant as his father," Snape said from his corner of the room.

Ara snorted "honestly Severus, I've had two conversations with him and he doesn't seem to have an arrogant bone in his body," she said looking incredulously at a man who she used to consider an uncle.

"Mr. Crouch... Mr. Bagman," said Karkaroff, preventing Ara from continuing, his voice unctuous once more, "you are our - er - objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?"

Bagman wiped his round, boyish face with his handkerchief and looked at Mr. Crouch, who was standing outside the circle of the firelight, his face half hidden in shadow. He looked slightly eerie, the half darkness making him look much older, giving him an almost skull-like appearance. When he spoke, however, it was in his usual curt voice.

"We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament. "

"Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front," said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, as though the matter was now closed.

"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students," said Karkaroff. He had dropped his unctuous tone and his smile now. His face wore a very ugly look indeed. "You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair, Dumbledore. "

"But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that," said Bagman. "The Goblet of Fire's just gone out - it won't reignite until the start of the next tournament -"

"- in which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing!" exploded Karkaroff. "After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!"

"Empty threat, Karkaroff," growled a voice from near the door. "You can't leave your champion now. She's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?"

Moody had just entered the room. He limped toward the fire, and with every right step he took, there was a loud clunk.

"Convenient?" said Karkaroff. "I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody. "

Ara could tell he was trying to sound disdainful, as though what Moody was saying was barely worth his notice, but his hands gave him away; they had balled themselves into fists.

"Don't you?" said Moody quietly. "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out. "

"Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime.

"I quite agree, Madame Maxime," said Karkaroff, bowing to her. "I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards -"

"If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter," growled Moody, "but. . . funny thing. . . I don't hear him saying a word. . . "

"Why should 'e complain?" burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot. "'E 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money - zis is a chance many would die for!"

"Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die for it," said Moody, with the merest trace of a growl.

An extremely tense silence followed these words. James' hand seemed to tighten on Harry's shoulder and Lily looked to be close to tears. Both Sirius and Remus looked as though they wanted to hit someone, but it was the look in Lupin's eyes that startled Ara. His amber eyes seemed to be glowing and Ara could practically hear the grumbling in his chest. Ludo Bagman, who was looking very anxious indeed, bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said, "Moody, old man. . . what a thing to say!"

Ludo Bagman, who was looking very anxious indeed, bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said, "Moody, old man. . . what a thing to say!"

"We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime," said Karkaroff loudly. "Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassination too. An odd quality in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons.

"Imagining things, am I?" growled Moody. "Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet. . . "

"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" said Madame Maxime, throwing up her huge hands.

"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" said Moody. "It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the tournament... I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category... "

"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody," said Karkaroff coldly, "and a very ingenious theory it is - though of course, I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents contained a cunningly disguised basilisk egg, and smashed it to pieces before realizing it was a carriage clock. So you'll understand if we don't take you entirely seriously. . . . "

"There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage," Moody retorted in a menacing voice. "It's my job to think the way Dark Wizards do, Karkaroff - as you ought to remember. . .

"Alastor!" said Dumbledore warningly. Moody fell silent, though still surveying Karkaroff with satisfaction - Karkaroff's face was burning.

"How this situation arose, we do not know," said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone gathered in the room. "It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do. . . . "

"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -"

"My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it. "

Dumbledore waited, but Madame Maxime did not speak, she merely glared. She wasn't the only one either. Snape looked furious; Karkaroff livid; James and Lily worried; Bagman, however, looked rather excited.

"Well, shall we crack on, then?" he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?"

Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie.

"Yes," he said, "instructions. Yes. . . the first task. . . "

"The first task is designed to test your daring," he told Harry, Cedric, Fleur, and Ara, "so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard. . . very important. . . .

"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges.

"The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests. "

Mr. Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore.

"I think that's all, is it, Albus?"

"I think so," said Dumbledore, who was looking at Mr. Crouch with mild concern. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?"

"No, Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry," said Mr. Crouch. "It is a very busy, very difficult time at the moment. . . . I've left young Weatherby in charge. . . . Very enthusiastic. . . a little overenthusiastic, if truth be told. . . "

"You'll come and have a drink before you go, at least?" said Dumbledore.

"Come on, Barry, I'm staying!" said Bagman brightly. "It's all happening at Hogwarts now, you know, much more exciting here than at the office!"

"I think not, Ludo," said Crouch with a touch of his old impatience.

"Professor Karkaroff - Madame Maxime - a nightcap?" said Dumbledore.

But Madame Maxime had already put her arm around Fleur's shoulders and was leading her swiftly out of the room. Ara could hear them both talking very fast in French as they went off into the Great Hall.

Karkaroff beckoned to Ara, and she followed reluctantly, patting Harry on the shoulder as she passed.

Karkaroff stopped and turned to face Ara as they exited the main dining area.

"you shouldn't be friends with the other contestants," he said plainly.

Ara glared at him "I didn't even know who the other contestants were until tonight," she said shortly. She knew she wasn't his first choice as Durmstrang champion, in fact, she may even have been his last choice.

Karkaroff shook his head "you seemed far too friendly to that young Potter boy, I expect you to win this since you were chosen."

Ara ground her teeth, keeping herself from retorting. "I intend to win, but I don't need to be a Bitch to come out on top," she said and she made to pass her headmaster.

He grabbed her tightly by the arm and stopped her from passing.

"You need to learn respect Lestrange," he said quietly. "I am your headmaster and I am here to support you."

Ara scoffed "we both know you are upset it wasn't Viktor who was chosen… and tell me, _professor,_ Why do you have so much doubt in my abilities? Surely you remember my mother?" Ara's voice dropped at the end. She knew he was her professor, but she didn't respect him in the slightest and if rumors were true, he was a Death Eater. "I've heard many times that I am just like her... in terms of strength," she finished with a hard glare getting a slight wince from Karkaroff.

"Is everything alright here?"

Karkaroff seemed to jump in surprise, Ara could hardly blame him, she hadn't even heard the door open. Sirius Black was standing there, standing at his full height. He was intimidating. Ara wasn't surprised at the fear that crossed Karkaroff's face.

"Of course not," Karkaroff said quickly, but without releasing his grip.

Sirius raised his eyebrows. It was then that the door to the Great Hall opened once more and James, Lily, Remus, and Harry followed, stopping and looking at the situation with confusion.

"I'd suggest you let go of my dear cousin then Karkaroff," Sirius said quietly, stepping forward.

Karkaroff glanced down at his hand that was gripping tightly to Ara and let go as though he had been burned.

He turned without word, passed Ara, and continued out the entrance hall and towards the ship.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked, Ara was surprised by the concern in his eyes. She already cared for him, but she was surprised to discover that he also seemed to care somewhat for her.

"Of course," Ara reassured him with a shrug. "He's just upset I was chosen over Viktor. He finds that I can be a tad too… rebellious," she said with a smirk.

"If you ever need anything…" James started but trailed off. He was staring at Ara intently almost as though he didn't quite understand her.

"Thanks, Mister Potter, but I can take care of myself," she said with a shrug and a hard look at Sirius. "Have a good night."

She turned her back to the group and walked back towards the ship. She smiled to herself, she was in the Triwizard Tournament and as nerve-wracking as that could be, she was ecstatic. She sped up her pace, making her way quickly back to the ship, certain that her friends would still be up to celebrate with her.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The party the night before had gotten a bit out of hand. At least Ara hadn't had too much to drink. Most of the others were all still sleeping while those who weren't were sitting around with miserable headaches.

Ara however had been out the door fairly early on that Sunday morning. She decided to take a stroll around Hogwarts. She could hardly contain her excitement at being there. She'd heard nothing but stories about the enchantment of Hogwarts and although her vision of Hogwarts may have been tainted by her uncle's biased views, it was still a place full of magic and history. There were so many great wizards and witches who had walked the halls, Ara longed to be there.

She made her way off the ship and onto the grounds. She passed the lake and headed towards the castle, intent on exploring until she had seen every nook and cranny.

The castle was beautiful, breathtaking even. As she paced the hall she fell in love with every inch of the castle. The ceilings were high, the staircases moved, there were portraits on nearly every inch of the walls, each holding their own story of the castle and its secrets.

She wandered for what felt like hours and it wasn't until she ran into a ghost named Myrtle who lived in the toilet on the 2ndfloor that Ara decided she should get some breakfast.

She began making her way back to the Great Hall when her name flittered through a nearby classroom, causing her to stop.

"I'm telling you it wasn't her," the voice said adamantly.

"you can't know that, you hardly know her at all," someone responded.

Ara moved closer to the door, standing a safe enough distance to get away if they were to leave the room. Ara caught a glimpse of the occupants in the room and was surprised to see that it was Sirius, James, and Lily who were arguing.

"She's a Lestrange," James said harshly. "She's attended Durmstrang, she was raised by the Malfoys, do I really need to say more!?"

"James – " Lily started but was cut off by Sirius.

"heritage means nothing."

Ara could hear footsteps and it sounded as though someone was pacing the room.

"Maybe not always…" James started, his voice quieting down "but more times than not, people are like those who raise them."

There was a pause in the conversation. "You were supportive of her last night… What changed?" Sirius asked.

James scoffed "I wasn't supportive, but it looked as though her headmaster was being a bit rough," he said although it was clear that even he didn't believe what he was saying, that he had in fact been supporting her. "my son has been entered into a tournament that could kill him. I've lost my daughter, I can't lose my son and frankly I don't trust any of the new people who have stepped foot into this school," he said sadly.

"We won't lose Harry," Sirius said passionately. "but we can't point the finger at a child, it was probably Karkaroff," he said.

Ara frowned, she wasn't a child.

"Mate, she's not a child and we both know Karkaroff doesn't have half the brains to pull this off. We don't know anything about Ara and she's trying a bit too hard to get close to Harry. She was probably behind one of those masks at the World Cup. She's a Lestrange!" he insisted again.

The door to the classroom flung open and Ara cast a quick disillusionment charm and did her best to blend into the wall behind her. Sirius stalked out of the room and into the hallway, shaking his head.

"Sirius…" Lily said, following him out and grabbing his arm softly to get him to stop.

Sirius shook his head, but turned around and faced his friends. He glared at James, but Ara could see something else, he seemed sad… almost.

"I'm a Black, or did you forget that?" he spat at his friend.

"Of course not," James said, standing beside his wife. "but you're different. You hated your family."

"What makes you think Ara doesn't hate her family? Do you know her?"

"She didn't look like she hated them at the World Cup," James suggested with a shrug.

Sirius shook his head and looked down the empty corridor.

"That means nothing," he said. "They sent her all the way to Durmstrang for school, Malfoy never speaks of his niece but holds his son in ridiculously high regards, that doesn't sound like a loving, happy family. Plus…" Sirius started, but trailed off shaking his head.

"Plus what?" Lily urged.

"she wasn't behind a mask at the World Cup."

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"She's the one who saved the muggles," he said.

James stared at his friend, waiting for more information.

Sirius sighed "she and Charlie helped get the children down. I ran into them when they were being chased by Death Eaters."

James looked at his friend incredulously and Lily stood surprised, with a small smile on her face.

"Why didn't you say anything?" James asked.

Sirius shook his head once more "She asked us not to," he said with a shrug. "I think she's a good person surrounded by bad people and she has to survive."

James snorted "mate that sounded like an explanation from a toddler."

Sirius smiled in response.

"look, Sirius is right James. We don't know Ara and maybe if we get to know her we'll find out that she's lovely. But we do need to be cautious, with everyone," Lily said giving Sirius a hard look. "We need to keep Harry safe."

James and Sirius nodded in response.

"Good, now you two need to hug and make up."

"Lily," James groaned while Sirius made a grumbling sound in the back of his throat.

Lily just laughed and grabbed James by the hand and Sirius by the arm. The two of them let her pull them and the three of them began to make their way past Ara (who was still disillusioned in the hallway) and to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Ara waited until their footsteps had died out before removing the charm and heading off in the same direction. Instead of going to the Great Hall, she turned and went back out towards the Lake, her appetite having vanished. She found A group of bushes and a large tree next to the lake and sat down, hanging her feet in the water. She was slightly surprised to see that she was not the only one who didn't go to breakfast. It seemed that Harry was walking with one of his friends on the other side of the lake, the two of them immersed in conversation.

She kept her head down and stayed below the bushes, hoping they didn't get too close. She didn't want to be bothered by the person who was at the center of her thoughts. If she was being completely honest, she didn't want his parents to think of her as the bad guy. She shook her head and laid back on the bank of the lake. She didn't know why she cared so much.

She let her mind wander as she stared at the sky. She was nearly asleep when someone plopped down beside her.

"We've been looking for you everywhere," Connor said although he didn't sound too worried. "I thought you'd be celebrating," he prompted when she didn't respond.

Ara shrugged "just thinking…"

"About Harry?" Connor asked knowingly.

Ara shook her head, but didn't offer more information.

He sighed and laid down and stared at the sky, unsure of what she was looking at.

"I'm confused," Ara said after several moments of silence.

Connor turned his head towards her, but she was staring intently away from him.

"About what?" he asked.

When Ara didn't go on, he pushed "is this something I should get Anna for? Something girl related?" he said and Ara could practically hear the smile in his voice.

She gave a small chuckle but shook her head. She loved her friend, but she wouldn't understand. She grew up in a loving family, knowing who she was and what she wanted.

"Am I evil?" Ara asked suddenly, turning to Connor.

Conner raised his eyebrows in surprise. That had not been what he was expecting.

"Where did that come from?"

"it's just…. I just feel torn."

Connor nodded and prodded her in the side, to get her to keep going.

Ara sighed and leaned on her side so she was facing him. It seemed that they always had their most meaningful conversations when lying in the dirt, as strange as that was.

"My family is evil," she said "there's no denying that. And I'm incredibly powerful and the daughter of one of the evilest and most sadistic women in the world, so am I evil?" she asked and for one of the first times Connor could remember, he could hear the fear in her voice.

He shook his head "If you're evil, it isn't because of your mother or your family," he said.

Ara snorted "that doesn't make me feel any better."

He smiled as he felt the tension leaving. "That's not what I mean, I mean people don't become evil simply because their parents were. It's all about action and beliefs," he said. "Do you want to be evil?"

Ara paused. Her immediate reaction was to say 'no', but deep inside of her, she knew there was something in her that wasn't all light. That wasn't necessarily good. She didn't respond, but jumped to her feet instead and began heading in the direction of the castle, nearly running.

She ran into the Great Hall to find it mostly empty, except for a few stragglers who were chatting. She began walking down the hallway, unsure of where she was going, but she needed them to know. She understood and needed them to know.

"Professor Dumbledore," she shouted as she saw the headmaster walking down the corridor. He stopped and turned towards Ara and offered her a kind smile.

"Do you know where Mr. Black is," she asked quickly

Dumbledore paused and looked at her searchingly. "I imagine Mr. Black is with Mr. and Mrs. Potter in their living quarters." He said after a moment.

Ara looked despondent at not being able to speak with them.

"It is located on the first floor behind the picture of the young girl petting a deer," he said with a meaningful look.

"Thank you professor," Ara said and without another glance she took off down the first floor corridor in search of the girl.

Ara halted in her tracks when she saw the young girl. She was maybe three or four. She had wavy russet colored hair that reached her small waist. She had a large toothy smile and was petting a wild deer lovingly.

Ara didn't move. She knew who the girl was and suddenly felt that she couldn't enter. That she didn't belong. It wasn't until the young girl turned towards her and gave a small wave that Ara raised her hand to knock. She stood there with her arm raised for what felt like hours before her nerve deflated. She turned to leave, but when she turned she caught sight of the young Potter, who it seemed was going to see his parents.

"Were you coming to see my parents?" he asked with a small smile playing on his face.

Ara paused and looked back towards the portrait.

"Um…" For the first time in a long time she found that she couldn't find an appropriate response or even a sarcastic answer.

"It's alright if you were…"

Ara looked at the portrait once more. The girl… _his sister_ … as pretty as the little girl was, the thought of her and the look of her just _haunted_ Ara. She couldn't help the guilt stir up in the pit of her stomach, she wasn't even sure where the guilt came from.

"no," Ara said once more, her voice harsher than she intended. "I was looking for Black, but never mind," she said and she stalked passed Harry, not looking up from the ground.

"Ara," came a deeper voice from behind her. She turned back to see Sirius's head sticking out of the portrait and looking intently at her. Harry was standing beside him, wearing a small smile on his face.

"Did you want to come in for a minute?" Sirius asked a smirk forming on his aristocratic face, one she was sure would have his mother rolling in her grave.

She hesitated briefly, glancing behind her.

"Come on, we just made some coffee and let me tell you, Lily makes the best-damned coffee on the planet."

Sirius disappeared from view, but Harry stood there, holding the portrait open, smiling welcomingly at Ara. Ara made up her mind, deciding a cup of coffee wouldn't hurt anyone and followed Harry through the portrait hole.

James' and Lily's living quarters were small, but comfortable. They were elegant in the sense that it was obvious a pure blood wizard lived there, but it wasn't uptight or stiff like her uncle's house. It was draped with gold and maroon colors. The kitchen and dining room were attached and the living room was small and quaint. There were three other doors coming out of the living room, Ara assumed that one was the bathroom and one was the bedroom. She wondered if the other was Harry's room.

"Coffee?" Lily asked holding out a cup and smiling sweetly. She seemed so genuine, The conversation she overheard earlier seemed hard to believe.

"Thanks," she said taking the cup. The smooth flavor of the coffee was excellent and the hint of vanilla made it all that much better.

"I haven't had that much coffee, I mostly drink tea, but this is excellent Lily," Ara said.

She took a seat in one of the armchairs in their living area. Sirius sitting in the one next to her, looking at her with interest. James seemed to be having difficulty making eye contact and Lily was having a whispered conversation with Harry who was sitting on the floor.

"So you were looking for me?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah," Ara hesitated, glancing at the other occupants of the room. "I'm not evil," she said quickly.

It was comical the way that the others' eyes widened in surprise at her bluntness.

"I just wanted you to know that I don't share the same views as my family." Her typical courage was making her way back into her voice and she glanced confidently at the other occupants. "I know where my family lands on the spectrum of good and evil and while I won't openly admit in public that I do not agree with them for Draco's sake, I don't agree with their methods or beliefs… I may not be the most innocent of witches, but I don't agree with them…" she said letting her sentence trail off.

"I knew you were different," Sirius said quietly with a small smile on his face.

Ara sent him a smile and glanced back at her coffee.

"You're going to be fine Ara," Sirius began, that same silly smirk forming on his face. "You come from a long line of lunatics," he said raising his glass in her direction.

Ara couldn't help the snort before she and the other occupants of the room burst out in laughter. She didn't know what would come of this, but she did know she was growing fond of this small group of people.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Well aren't you a sight for sore eyes?"

Ara glanced up from the chair she was lounging in and couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at the sight.

"well at last," she said with a smirk "here is the dashing, heartbreaker, Rosier I keep hearing so much about."

He sat on the chair of the arm, directly across from Ara and gave her an amused look. "Darling cousin, I'd be careful or people may assume you are flirting with me."

Ara snorted and looked back at the magazine in her hand "our families may have been for ignoring heritage and practicing inbreeding, but not all old ways are good ways."

"While I entirely agree, I will remind you that we are hardly related," he said and plopped down in the armchair.

"I'd still rather we give it a few more generations," she said with a laugh. "besides you just want me for the fame and fortune that will befall me in seven months when I win the tournament."

Rosier nodded "it's true, who wouldn't want to be with the soon to be tri-wizard champion?"

Ara shook her head and put down the magazine, leaning forward so her arms rested on her knees. "in all seriousness, how was America?"

He shrugged, pulling at the hem of his high-end tailored cloak with his fingers. "It was a good experience I suppose," he said with a small smile.

"it was like an internship, right?"

Rosier nodded "I got to see up close and personal what the head of magical law enforcement does. I should be grateful that I was given the opportunity, but I did miss out on competing against you this year," he finished, clearly not wanting to talk about it.

Ara leaned back in her chair, "That is unfortunate as I would have loved kicking your arse once again," she said with a smirk.

Rosier snorted "The only reason you won at anything in the past is because you are a dirty, lying, cheater."

Ara shook her head "whatever helps you sleep at night Edwin."

Ara was surprised to find that she had missed Edwin Rosier quite a lot. While they didn't grow up together like she and Draco had, they had been close given that he and his brother were a connection to the Lestrange family. They had been in similar situations, both children of Death Eaters brought down during the war against Voldemort. Of course, his parents died, while hers were imprisoned. Still, it gave them a sense of connection with each other that they didn't have with many others.

"Now Ara, I've heard some stories and I was hoping that you could clarify them for me," Rosier said and Ara could feel the change in atmosphere and the seriousness in his voice.

"Fire away."

"Why've you been getting on with Potter?" he asked with a hint of disgust in his voice.

Ara rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "Tell me Edwin, how many conversations have you had with him?"

"None and for very good reason… One" he held up his fingers "He's a Potter…. Two, he led to the downfall of the Dark Lord… and Three, he's a bloody Potter!" He raised his voice at the end in astonishment.

"I understand that he's a Potter, but if there's one thing I've learned in the last six years at Durmstrang, it's that you always keep your friends close and your enemies closer." She said quietly. "This life we live is a game and I'm simply playing strategically. Besides…" her voice dropped even more as she scooted closer to Rosier "If there is anything that comes first in my life, it's my family; the Malfoys and the Lestranges. I don't know the Dark Lord, but I do know that he couldn't save your parents and he couldn't keep mine out of prison, so until I see him return and I find a reason to be loyal to him, I will do everything in my power to protect what is important to me."

Ara found herself wondering if maybe her uncle was right, maybe she'd do well in politics. She answered the question honestly, without divulging that she didn't believe what her parents did or stood for was right. That truly all she cared about was her Aunt and Draco.

Rosier seemed satisfied, even impressed with the answer. He gave it a minute before responding "you make a good point… Do you think he's coming back?"

Ara shrugged "I don't know, Uncle Lucius doesn't believe he's truly gone and things have been changing this year, but I don't know."

"and what happens if he comes back and becomes upset that we aren't by his side?"

Ara shook her head and sent a small smile towards Rosier who seemed to be thinking deeply about the topic. "While I'm sure the Dark Lord would want us in his ranks given our lineage, we never served him. There will come a time when we have to decide for ourselves if our loyalty is with him and until then, my loyalty is with my family only," she said firmly effectively ending the heavy conversation.

They sat in silence for a moment longer.

"It's nice to have you at Hogwarts for a change," Rosier said finally, causing Ara to smile.

* * *

Ara was walking swiftly down the hall, Karkaroff keeping in step beside her.

"The weighing of wands is basically where they test your wand."

"you've already explained this," Ara said briskly. They had spent nearly an hour the previous night polishing her wand as he ranted on and on about the importance of wands working appropriately.

"I want you to be more prepared than you generally are in class," he said harshly.

Ara stopped and turned on Karkaroff "Did you forget _Professor,_ my scores in OWLs and NEWTs? Why are you even coming? I don't think the Headmasters were required to attend," she snapped, turning on her heel and continuing to the classroom. The hallways were beginning to feel familiar given the numbers of times she had roamed in them.

When they entered the room, Ara found that they were in a fairly small classroom; most of the desks had been pushed away to the back of the room, leaving a large space in the middle; three of them, however, had been placed end-to-end in front of the blackboard and covered with a long length of velvet. Five chairs had been set behind the velvet-covered desks, and Ludo Bagman was sitting in one of them, talking to a witch who was wearing magenta robes. If the look in her eye as Ara entered the room and the quick quill note was anything to go by, Ara could assume that she was a reporter.

It seemed she was the third person to arrive as Harry was nowhere to be seen and Cedric and Fleur were in conversation. Fleur kept throwing back her head so that her long silvery hair caught the light. A paunchy man, holding a large black camera that was smoking slightly, was watching Fleur unabashedly, a hungry look in his eye.

Disgusted by the look, Ara moved quickly to where the other two champions were standing, grabbed both of them by the arms and repositioned them so that the camera man had a good view of Cedric and couldn't see Fleur at all.

"Vat are 'ou doing?" Fleur asked quietly, a confused look on her face.

Cedric, who seemed to catch on leaned closer to Fleur so that only she and Ara could hear. "It seems that you've caught the attention of the camera man."

Fleur's cheeks lit up to a rosy red color and she turned to Ara "Merci."

"Just because we're competing doesn't mean we shouldn't stick together," Ara said with a soft smile, glancing towards the door as it opened to reveal the fourth champion, Harry.

Ara couldn't help but feel sorry for him, he was disheveled as though he had no idea he was supposed to be there or why he was there.

Bagman, who had been talking to Karkaroff and the reporter suddenly spotted Harry, got up quickly, and bounded forward.

"Ah, here he is! Champion number four! In you come, Harry, in you come. . . nothing to worry about, it's just the wand weighing ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a moment -"

"Wand weighing?" Harry repeated nervously.

"We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know, as they're your most important tools in the tasks ahead," said Bagman. "The expert's upstairs now with Dumbledore. And then there's going to be a little photo shoot. This is Rita Skeeter," he added, gesturing toward the witch in magenta robes. "She's doing a small piece on the tournament for the Daily Prophet... "

 _Bingo,_ Ara thought. She had been right in assuming that she was a reporter. Her gut twisted into nerves, she knew that this was a highly publicized tournament but she was nervous information would come out about her past, or worse, her parents.

"Maybe not small Ludo," Rita Skeeter said quietly, her eyes glued to Harry. Ara realized with anger that she was going to target the kid of the group, the 'boy who lived'.

"'ee is too leetle to be ere," Fleur said quietly to the other two, resentment present in her voice.

Cedric simply shrugged, seemingly holding back something negative.

"I imagine it must be difficult knowing who he's up against," Ara said defensively.

"'ou are not upset about dees?"

Ara paused, she was upset, but not for the same reason that Fleur was.

"The way I see it is that he is either so powerful that he bewitched a powerful object in which case he deserves to compete in the tournament… or someone entered him and he is a terrified fourteen-year-old who is being forced to compete in dangerous tasks while he is completely unprepared…"

Fleur seemed to remain upset but did at least appear to be thinking about what Ara had said.

Ara looked around again, noticing that Harry was once again nowhere to be found.

"Where'd he go?" Ara asked the other two, both of whom shrugged in response.

"Did Harry leave?" Ara asked Bagman who was talking animatedly to Karkaroff.

"No… no dear, he is simply speaking to Miss Skeeter," he said gesturing to a door on the other side of the room.

Ara felt anger ripple up her spine, she still wasn't able to figure out why she was so protective of the boy, but one thing was for certain, no teenage boy should be forced to be interviewed by a snaky reporter alone.

She flung open the door to find the two of them sitting closely in a broom closet. She stepped in, closed the door behind her and sat down in the small leftover space, beside Harry.

"How's this interview going?" she asked politely.

Harry looked surprised while staring down at Skeeter's notebook "My eyes aren't glistening with the ghost of my past," he said astounded.

"Miss Skeeter," Ara said abruptly, cutting off any retort Skeeter was about to make "Are you aware that it is illegal to interview a minor without guardian permission and presence?"

Rita looked around the room hoping for a change of subject.

"I'm going to assume that you were uninformed of the laws, so let me tell you," she began quietly, ignoring Harry who was staring at her pleadingly. "Any minor person, which means any person under the age of 17 who is being interviewed must have written permission from the guardian or the guardian must be present. Now if a person knowingly commits this crime, they can be forced to pay a hefty fine… In addition for you, however, there was the potential for impropriety that may have occurred prior to my entrance into this broom cupboard, which is also illegal and can result in one being sentenced to Azkaban. Now, who do you think the court will believe? The future Lord Potter, one of the 28 royal families? Or a lowly reporter who finally got her big opportunity?"

Rita skeeter turned red at the implication "well… Thank you for informing me of the laws," she gritted through clenched teeth. "Given that you are seventeen I am able to interview you, however, Miss Lestrange."

Ara wasn't happy with the response, but she'd rather it be her that was interviewed, rather than Harry.

"Do the other contestants have anything to fear with you being involved in the tournament?" she asked, without waiting for Ara to give the okay.

"No," Ara said simply.

"You were raised with dark magic, having done many wicked things as a little girl under the guidance of your mother and father, so it would seem that they have everything to fear." She pushed even more, her face turning redder.

Ara could feel Harry tense beside her and for a brief moment, Ara worried that he was afraid of her.

"Well I would agree with you, miss Skeeter, but then we'd both be wrong."

Harry snorted, but quickly covered it up as a cough.

Skeeter was stopped from any further responses when the door to the broom cupboard flung open to reveal Albus Dumbledore standing there.

"Dumbledore!" cried Rita Skeeter, with every appearance of delight - but Ara noticed that her quill and the parchment had suddenly vanished from the box of Magical Mess Remover, and Rita's clawed fingers were hastily snapping shut the clasp of her crocodile-skin bag. "How are you?" she said, standing up and holding out one of her large, mannish hands to Dumbledore. "I hope you saw my piece over the summer about the International Confederation of Wizards' Conference?"

"Enchantingly nasty," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "I particularly enjoyed your description of me as an obsolete dingbat. "

Rita Skeeter didn't look remotely abashed.

"I was just making the point that some of your ideas are a little old-fashioned, Dumbledore, and that many wizards in the street -"

"I will be delighted to hear the reasoning behind the rudeness, Rita," said Dumbledore, with a courteous bow and a smile, "but I'm afraid we will have to discuss the matter later. The Weighing of the Wands is about to start, and it cannot take place if two of our champions are hidden in a broom cupboard. "

Ara and Harry walked out of the closet and hurried over to the other champions. Harry sent Ara a grateful smile and Ara winked in response. Ara stood in back, behind the other champions and Harry sat down quickly next to Cedric, looking up at the velvet-covered table, where four of the five judges were now sitting - Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Mr. Crouch, and Ludo Bagman. Rita Skeeter settled herself down in a corner; Ara saw her slip the parchment out of her bag again, spread it on her knee, suck the end of the Quick-Quotes Quill, and place it once more on the parchment.

"May I introduce Mr. Ollivander?" said Dumbledore, taking his place at the judges' table and talking to the champions. "He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition before the tournament. "

Ara looked around and found herself relieved when she saw an old wizard with large, pale eyes standing quietly by the window. She had met Mr. Ollivander before - he was the wand-maker from whom she had bought her own wand over six years ago in Diagon Alley.

"Mademoiselle Delacour, could we have you first, please?" said Mr. Ollivander, stepping into the empty space in the middle of the room.

Fleur Delacour swept over to Mr. Olhivander and handed him her wand.

"Hmm. . . " he said.

He twirled the wand between his long fingers like a baton and it emitted a number of pink and gold sparks. Then he held it chose to his eyes and examined it carefully.

"Yes," he said quietly, "nine and a half inches... inflexible... rosewood... and containing... dear me... "

"An 'air from ze 'ead of a veela," said Fleur. "One of my grandmuzzer's. "

 _Aha_ though Ara, she had been right in her assumption that Fleur was indeed part veela.

"Yes," said Mr. Ollivander, "yes, I've never used veela hair myself, of course. I find it makes for rather temperamental wands. . . however, to each his own, and if this suits you. . . "

Mr. Ollivander ran his fingers along the wand, apparently checking for scratches or bumps; then he muttered, "Orchideous!" and a bunch of flowers burst from the wand tip.

"Very well, very well, it's in fine working order," said Mr. Ollivander, scooping up the flowers and handing them to Fleur with her wand. "Mr. Diggory, you next. "

Fleur glided back to her seat, smiling at Cedric as he passed her.

"Ah, now, this is one of mine, isn't it?" said Mr. Ollivander, with much more enthusiasm, as Cedric handed over his wand. "Yes, I remember it well. Containing a single hair from the tail of a particularly fine male unicorn. . . must have been seventeen hands; nearly gored me with his horn after I plucked his tail. Twelve and a quarter inches. . . ash. . . pleasantly springy. It's in fine condition. . . You treat it regularly?"

"Polished it last night," said Cedric, grinning.

Ara saw several gold sparks shoot out of Harry's wand out of the corner of her eye and it was then that she realized he had been trying to polish his wand. She hid a small chuckle, polishing a wand wasn't necessary, unless the wand was going to be on display, such as on a day like today.

Mr. Ollivander sent a stream of silver smoke rings across the room from the tip of Cedric's wand, pronounced himself satisfied, and then said, "Miss Lestrange, if you please. "

Ara stood up confidently and took her wand to Ollivander.

He held her wand lightly in his hand "Miss Lestrange, I do remember this wand, it was so eager for you to pick it…" he sent her a small smile.

Ara could still remember the day that she got the wand, Ollivander had been the first adult to not flinch at her last name and glare at her as though she had "I love my parents" stamped across her forehead.

He lifted the wand and examined it minutely, turning it over and over before his eyes.

"Yes. . . Mahogany and dragon heartstring" he shot at Ara, who nodded. "ten inches… unyielding. . . Avis!"

The Mahogany wand let off a blast like a gun, and a number of small, twittering birds flew out of the end and through the open window into the watery sunlight.

"Good," said Mr. Ollivander, handing Ara back her wand. "Which leaves. . . Mr. Potter. "

Harry got to his feet and walked past Krum to Mr. Ollivander. He handed over his wand.

"Aaaah, yes," said Mr. Ollivander, his pale eyes suddenly gleaming. "Yes, yes, yes. How well I remember. "

Mr. Ollivander spent much longer examining Harry's wand than anyone else's, however, he did not go into much detail. Eventually, however, he made a fountain of wine shoot out of it, and handed it back to Harry, announcing that it was still in perfect condition.

"Thank you all," said Dumbledore, standing up at the judges' table. "You may go back to your lessons now - or perhaps it would be quicker just to go down to dinner, as they are about to end -"

Ara stood up to head towards the door, hoping to ask Harry about his wand and about what Rita had asked him before she got there.

"Photos, Dumbledore, photos!" cried Bagman excitedly. "All the judges and champions, what do you think, Rita?"

"Er - yes, let's do those first," said Rita Skeeter, whose eyes were upon Harry again. "And then perhaps some individual shots. "

The photographs took a long time. Madame Maxime cast everyone else into shadow wherever she stood, and the photographer couldn't stand far enough back to get her into the frame; eventually she had to sit while everyone else stood around her. Karkaroff kept twirling his goatee around his finger to give it an extra curl; Ara did her best to stand half-hidden, at the back of the group. The photographer seemed keenest to get Fleur at the front, but Rita Skeeter kept hurrying forward and dragging Harry into greater prominence. Then she insisted on separate shots of all the champions. At last, they were free to go.

Ara didn't wait for any further word from Karkaroff, she left the room in a hurry, figuring she could catch up with Harry later.

"Ara wait!"

Ara turned as she reached the end of the corridor to find Harry hurrying to catch up to her. She sent him a small smile and began walking with him when he caught up.

"thanks for… well you know… in the broom cupboard," he said hesitantly, a tinge of pink running across his face.

"no one should be subjected to a nightmare such as her," she said with a small smile, her gut twisting again at the thought of what might be said about her in the paper next.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly, stopping at the entrance of the Great Hall as though deciding if he wanted to enter.

Ara laughed "Shouldn't I be asking you that? You're the one being exiled."

Harry seemed surprised by her bluntness, but smiled none the less. "that obvious?"

Ara shrugged in response.

"Hermione says it's because they are jealous," he said quietly, bitterness lacing every word.

Ara sighed "jealous may not be the right word.. maybe covetous of your fame or I guess resentful of what the tournament should mean for someone who wasn't forced against their will to participate."

Harry nodded "I'd rather be a nobody…"

he let the sentence trail off, but Ara knew what was at the end. He'd rather be a nobody and have his family whole again.

"me too," she responded quietly.

Ara shook her head and put on a smile, "let's eat, shall we?" she asked, opening the door to the Great Hall wide.

The Great Hall was empty enough, Harry paused when looking at the Gryffindor table, seemingly looking for an empty space where no one would glare at him.

Ara rolled her eyes and pulled Harry towards the center of the table and sat across from him, much to the surprise of the other house residents. She was the first Durmstrang student to sit at a table other than Slytherin.

It didn't take long for people to begin to notice. Some students glared at Harry, some whispered, but it was all far too quiet for her to understand.

"Sorry," Harry said with a small smile. "They aren't fond of me right now."

He looked down at his food and Ara could tell that he was upset.

"If it makes you feel better, people often aren't fond of me," she said with a smirk. "I mean... my own headmaster doesn't even like me."

Harry laughed in response but glanced down the table towards where Ron was sitting.

"Friends fight," she said knowingly, causing Harry to look up quickly. "He'll come around and if he doesn't then you are better off without him."

"I suppose you are right."

"I'm always right," Ara said matter of factly, giving Harry an arrogant look that caused him to stiffen and then snort.

Ara looked at him confused.

"Sometimes I forget that you are related to Malfoy, but you looked like him just then," he said, taking a drink of his pumpkin juice.

Ara nodded "he is my beloved cousin and I'm not surprised that he has some of my facial expressions as I am the most important person in his life."

Harry paused, looking as though he wanted to say something while also looking as though he were questioning whether the statement was true. Instead, he shrugged in response and returned to his food.

Ara was going to respond until someone plopped down beside her.

"how'd the weighing of wands go?" Connor asked, glancing between Ara and Harry with a small smile on his face, not even acknowledging that they were sitting at a different table.

"Oh it was what you'd expect… pictures, interviews, wand tests…" Ara said simply.

"Ara saved me from some nasty questions by a reporter," Harry said, sending Ara another thankful smile.

"Did she?" Connor asked, genuinely surprised.

Ara could understand the surprise, she normally hated press and avoided it at every opportunity. She simply shrugged in response, sending Connor a crooked smile.

"She did," said Harry, no noticing the look sent between them.

As the three of them were eating other students from Durmstrang joined the Gryffindor table, much to the displeasure of Slytherin.

Ara finished with dinner and was reaching for dessert when out of nowhere a balloon filled with water crashed onto the table in front of her, soaking everyone in the immediate vicinity. She gasped at the ice cold water and looked around. She made eye contact with her glaring cousin who was standing up from the Slytherin table and heading towards the main doors.

Connor started laughing, causing the others to laugh as well. Ara, however, stood up from her chair and followed Draco out into the entrance hall.

"What was that Draco?" she asked, no anger present in her voice. It was harmless enough, just startling and cold.

"Why are you spending so much time with Potter?" he spat, his glare at his cousin intensifying as he walked towards her.

Ara took a step back, never having seen him so angry, looking almost like his father.

"What are you on about?" she asked, although she could assume her sitting and eating with Harry had something to do about it.

"you're being all chummy with my worst enemy!" he shouted, shooing away his friends who were still at his side. "leave." He said when they didn't move.

Ara returned his glare "I don't have to hate everyone who you hate," she said simply, her voice remaining level.

"He's a Potter and he's a horrible, arrogant, attention seeking, better than everyone, prat!"

"I'm sorry Draco, but I've never seen him be any of those things," she responded quietly.

"Well he is," he said firmly "you're supposed to be like a sister to me and you're spending time with someone who hates me? Someone who wouldn't even shake my hand because of my last name. I thought you of all people would know what that felt like."

Draco turned to leave, leaving Ara feeling as though she had been punched in the gut. She shook her head and hurried to catch up with Draco, grabbing his arm and pulling him to look at her.

He looked sad, betrayed, and hurt. While Ara didn't quite understand how Draco came to the conclusion that Harry was arrogant or attention seeking, it was clear that there was something between them and she wasn't willing to lose her relationship with the thing that mattered most to her over someone she had just met.

"I won't sit with him again," she said simply. "I am your sister and I may not always agree with you or understand you, but I'd never choose him over you," she said.

He stared at his shoes but nodded and Ara knew that that was his way of saying it was okay. She threw her arm around his waist and led him out of the entrance hall and out onto the ground.

"What do you think the first task will be?" Ara asked Draco.

Draco laughed "probably something dangerous," he said. The two of them walked to the Durmstrang ship and spent the rest of the evening guessing about what the first task would be.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, everything belongs to JK Rowling**

Chapter 7

Dragons

Ara laid in her bed staring at the ceiling. The tournament was getting closer and she hadn't the slightest idea on how she should be preparing. She had thought maybe she should practice spells or attempt to learn something new, but she didn't even know what she might look into.

She sighed heavily and rolled onto her side. She couldn't worry about the tournament, she was a seventeen, she should be prepared for whatever it is that she would be facing. Instead, she turned her mind back to the topic that was bothering her most. Harry Potter and her beloved cousin.

She didn't quite understand their extreme hatred for each other. They both thought the other was arrogant and attention seeking. While she knew Draco could come off as a jerk, she also knew that when he loved someone he was gracious, forgiving, and loyal. It was unfortunate that they weren't friends, she thought Harry and his family might even be able to be a good influence on Draco, much better than Lucius was at any rate.

It didn't matter though, she supposed. What had started off as them getting off on the wrong foot had grown into loathing and pathetic school enemies over the last four years. She wasn't sure how to change either of their minds.

She was interrupted from her thinking when the door of the room opened.

"Okay don't panic," Anna came into the room they shared on the ship, closing the door behind her and holding something behind her back.

"What is it?" Ara asked her friend who was now fidgeting and grimacing.

"Honestly Anna, what's wrong?" She asked standing up from the bed she was lounging on.

"Well an article came out about the weighing of wands tournament," she said quietly, pulling the article out from behind her back.

Ara jumped to the feet and grabbed the article from her friend, looking at the front page desperately hoping there was nothing about her.

She groaned when on the very front there was a picture of her staring back. Ara wasn't entirely sure where Rita Skeeter got the picture, but in the picture, Ara's black hair fell in waves below her shoulders, her gray eyes were piercing, and her glare was hard.

HOW SAFE ARE THE TRI-WIZARD CHAMPIONS?

The headline flashed in large print above her picture. The article went on to discuss the life of Ara Lestrange, one that she clearly knew very little about. She was grateful that very little was said about the Malfoys, clearly, Skeeter had the sense to stay away from them, but the article described the crimes of Ara's mother, suggesting that she may have been apart of them prior to her mother being arrested. The article went as far as to suggest that any success Ara may have during the tournament would be a result of cheating.

It mentioned very little about Harry or the other contestants, but it briefly mentioned the possibility that it was Ara who entered Harry into the tournament in hopes of killing the young celebrity during the tournament.

"what complete and utter BULLSHIT!" Ara shouted throwing the article into the fire, with a small flick of her fingers the fire grew with a whoosh filling the covered fireplace causing Anna to flinch.

"Can you believe this nonsense?" Ara asked Anna.

"Of couse no-"

"I mean she didn't even have any sort of evidence! All she talked about was my Goddamn mother and father… I was four when they were imprisoned! How much could I have done prior to then."

"Ara – "

"Clearly I shouldn't have said a damn thing, I should have just let Potter deal with her himself – "

"Would you stop?" Anna said grabbing Ara by the shoulders. "It doesn't matter what she says, she's a wicked reporter who is trying to make a couple bucks. We all know you and know that you're not going to cheat your way to the top," she said firmly.

"You don't get it," Ara said "you come from a perfect family who are all a bunch of nobody's… Uncle Lucius is going to be furious," she said, ignoring the look her friend was giving her.

"I need a walk," she said pushing past her friend and through the door, ignoring glances coming from her fellow classmates.

The grounds were cold; it was getting later in the year. She contemplated going to the castle for a brief period before deciding that there was nothing there for her. She didn't want to see Draco, didn't want to see his reaction. Instead, she headed to the forest.

She kept walking, not caring where she was going. The thought briefly crossed her mind that this was dangerous, she remembered the hastily written letter from Draco during his first year explaining the hooded figure that was in the Forbidden Forest looking as though it was eating a unicorn.

Ara decided she didn't care. In a sense she welcomed danger, there was little doubt that she could handle it.

She continued walking, not coming across anything that seemed remotely dangerous unless of course, the rabbits became monsters during the night, but she highly doubted that. She was deep into the woods when she heard a noise in the distance. It was loud, but clearly far off. It was a whooshing sound from a distance, but as she got closer it sounded a bit more like a roar. There was light in the distance and Ara knew it may be a good idea to turn around and head back to the castle, but she couldn't stop her feet as they carried her towards the noise. When she heard the sound of yells, she broke into a run, fear stirring in her stomach that someone may be hurt.

When she entered the clearing, she was shocked to find a dragon shooting fire at full grown men and women who didn't seem to be frightened in the slightest. They were yelling, shouting what seemed to be orders at each other, all attempting to calm the dragon down.

Ara wasn't sure how they had managed to do it, but the dragon began to calm and retreat. Several dragon handlers remained with the dragon, while others separated, going in various directions.

"Ara?"

Ara looked around at the sound of her name. Initially she thought maybe she had been followed, but looking around she saw someone she didn't think she'd see again, Charlie Weasley.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, a small smile forming on his face.

Ara was lost for words, she simply shook her head while staring at the dragon.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" he said fondly, looking at the dragon.

Ara nodded, it was amazing seeing a dragon, but she couldn't figure out why there would be a dragon and dragon handlers in the Forbidden Forest of Hogwarts, so close to so many children…

…Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. The tournament.

"This is our first task?" she asked, here eyes wide.

Charlie looked at her guiltily "you aren't supposed to know," he said.

Ara simply shook her head "We have to face dragons? What do we have to do to them?" she asked astonished and a little horrified at the thought of hurting one.

"er…" Charlie struggled, clearly wanting to divulge information, but not wanting to give away too much information. "Just get past them…"

"So we don't have to hurt them?" she asked, relief evident in her voice.

"God no," he said hurriedly "we'd never bring our dragons if we thought they'd get hurt."

Ara nodded, just get past them. It made the first task much less daunting, knowing that she would be able to prepare for it. She thought of the other contestants, it wasn't entirely fair that she knew and they didn't. Her mind drifted to Harry and the thought of a fourteen-year-old going against a fully grown dragon was terrifying. She should at least tell him, she thought. He deserved the advantage, far more than she did.

She felt Charlie grab her arm and pull her back into the forest.

"You can't tell anyone you know," Charlie said, glancing behind him to ensure that no one could see them. "you aren't supposed to know."

Ara looked at him exasperatedly "I'm not going to broadcast it."

"Good, I don't want to get put on dung duty," he said simply, giving her a smirk.

"I'll walk you back to the castle," he said grabbing her hand and pulling her in the opposite direction as the dragons.

She held his hand for a bit too long before letting go and walking in silence beside him.

"What were you doing in the forest anyway?" he asked, turning his head to look at her.

Ara remembered the article and her body flooded with anger once again, anger that had faded at the sight of the dragon.

"Just needed to get away," she said.

"You do know this forest is forbidden, right?"

Ara nodded "Draco told me of course."

Charlie simply shrugged, not asking for more information.

They walked in silence for a few more moments, it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, Ara found that she rather liked being around Charlie.

Rustling was heard in the trees, causing both Ara and Charlie to stop their movement, looking towards the noise and pulling their wands out.

Ara let her wand drop at the sight of the creature, she had never seen one in person, but she knew they weren't dangerous. The creature was a black, skeletal, winged horse. Ara glanced at Charlie who was looking in the direction, but not truly seeing it, his wand still up.

"It's just a Thestral," she said, grabbing his wand arm and guiding him to lower it.

"You can see it?" he asked.

Ara's mind returned to the article that Rita Skeeter had published. _Rumor is, she has an ankle bracelet and she adds a charm to it for every life she takes._

"Yes, I was there when a distant family member died… old age," she added when Charlie raised his eye brows. She left out the part of the screams, the smell of blood, and the broken bones that she could still feel at night when she'd wake with night terrors.

Charlie nodded "I'm sorry," he said softly.

Ara shrugged "I wasn't close to them."

"So what's the Thestral doing?" he asked, staring at the bushes moving in the distance.

"Not sure, I think it's looking for food."

"They are fascinating… they are seen as such dark creatures, yet there's nothing dangerous about them," he said giving Ara a crooked smile making her wonder if he had seen the article.

"Come on," he said, throwing his arm around her shoulders and guiding her back towards the castle once more.

"So, ever play Quidditch?" he asked.

They spent the rest of the walk talking passionately about the sport and the Quidditch World Cup. Ara told him about breaking into the stadium prior to the tournament to play and Charlie mentioned that he wished he would have known her sooner so he could have gone.

By the time they reached the castle grounds, Ara's spirits were lifted and she found herself much more comfortable around Charlie. They steered clear of any conversation regarding the tournament, her family, or the incident after the Quidditch cup and she was immensely grateful to have a conversation that was so light hearted.

"We probably shouldn't be seen together," he said when they reached Hagrid's hut.

Ara couldn't help the hurt that came across her face at the thought of him not wanting to be seen with her. After all, it was better for her not to be seen with him than vice versa.

He nudged her and gave her a small smile "I don't want people thinking you were cheating," he said, knowing what crossed her mind.

"Oh," Ara nodded "that's probably a good idea… I'll see you later?" she asked. After a small nod from Charlie, she headed back up to the castle.

It was nearly lunch by the time she got back to the castle, so she headed to the Great hall. The hall was already filling up when she arrived, she walked quickly to the Slytherin table rolling her eyes when some young Hogwarts students jumped out of her way as though she were going to cast an unforgivable curse on them right then and there.

She sat quickly by Connor keeping her head down, pulling up her hood as she saw heads begin to turn in her direction.

"Well if it isn't the dark princess herself," Connor whispered jokingly.

Ara nudged him in the arm "that's not funny," she said in a hushed tone.

Connor nudged her back "Rita Skeeter is an idiot if she believes what she wrote… the other contestants and all your classmates don't believe you're dangerous."

Ara looked at him, her hood still pulled up. "No?"

Connor shook his head and smirked, "well they know you're dangerous, but in a good way, not a bad way."

It wasn't long before Anna and Viktor sat across from them and the rest of the Durmstrang class took their usual seats at the Slytherin table. While most Slytherin attitudes hadn't changed at all towards her, there were a handful of younger students who glanced fearfully at her before looking away. She was surprised when Rosier sat next to her, of course, the Rosier family had nearly as bad of a reputation as the Lestranges, so she supposed she shouldn't have been too surprised.

She couldn't help keep the hurt off her face however when Draco didn't sit near her but instead sat down the table, away from everyone, eating in silence. She wasn't a crier, but she could feel tears stinging at the back of her eyes and she began blinking furiously, trying to will them away.

She thought back to her afternoon with Charlie and the next task. She managed to get herself to calm down, but still felt she needed to get away. She hurriedly finished her meal before grabbing her stuff and leaving the Great Hall.

She was walking so quickly leaving the Great Hall that she nearly ran into four people right outside the door. She groaned at the sight of them, they were four people who she didn't want to see right now.

"sorry," she muffled quietly and tried to pass.

"Ara," came the bright voice of Sirius. Ara merely turned and stared at him.

"yes?" she said shortly when he didn't continue.

His smile dropped slightly "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she responded, turning to head outside.

"you don't look fine," he said.

Ara glanced at him over her shoulder "well stop looking," she said harshly and started walking out the castle. She stopped in her tracks when she felt a hand on her arm, she turned quickly intent on telling Sirius off but was surprised to come face to face with James.

"Thank you for watching out for Harry," he said kindly, giving her a small smile. "I'm sorry… for everything she said about you in that article and I wanted you to know we have your back," he said.

Ara was taken aback by the sincerity. She still didn't quite understand where she stood with the Potters and their friends, but she appreciated the support, she just wished it was her family giving the support.

"thanks," she said quietly.

"Ara!" Came the voice of Rosier, just past the group of four. "Black… Lupin... Potters," he acknowledged the others as he passed them to stand next to Ara.

"it's Professor, Rosier," Sirius corrected him and Rosier smiled smugly in response. The tension in the group was palpable.

"My apologies… _Professor."_ He turned to Ara "I was hoping to see your ship," he said holding out his arm.

"Of course Edwin," she said, grabbing his arm. "I'll see you all later," she said before turning and walking to the ship with Rosier.

Ara spent the rest of lunch with Rosier playing exploding snap. When the meal was done, they were joined by Connor, Anna, and Viktor.

After a while, the five of them decided to take a walk through the grounds and get some fresh air when Ara grabbed Connor's arm and they all stopped in their tracks.

Draco and Harry were clearly arguing, Crabbe and Goyle standing next to Draco while Hermione stood next to Harry.

"-It's all because of your muggle mother," Draco spat.

"You know your mother, Malfoy? That expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?" Harry asked, taking a step towards Draco.

Draco's face went slightly pink "don't you dare insult my mother, Potter," he said.

"what's a matter Malfoy? Need to stand up for your mum because she's the only one who could ever love you?" Harry finished before turning and starting to walk back towards the castle.

"Don't" Ara yelled as she watched Draco raise his wand and send a curse towards Harry.

BANG

Ara looked around towards the noise while several people yelled. She glanced at Harry, grateful that her cousin's spell didn't hit him. He stood there staring at where Draco was with a wide eyed expression.

"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"

Ara turned towards the voice to find Professor Moody limping down the staircase at the entrance of the castle. His wand was out and he was pointing right at a pure white ferret, which was shivering on the grass, exactly where Draco had been standing.

Ara scoffed, torn between laughter and anger.

"Did he get you?" Moody growled at Harry, his voice was low and gravelly.

"No," said Harry, "missed."

"Leave it!" Moody turned and shouted at Crabbe who had just reached down to pick up the ferret.

Moody started limping towards Crabbe, Goyle, and the ferret, which gave a terrified squeak and took off streaking toward the dungeons.

"I don't think so!" roared Moody, pointing his wand at the ferret again – it flew ten feet into the air and fell with a smack to the floor and then bounced upwards once more.

It was then that Ara had enough. She had the sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach that strangely reminded her of the event after the Quidditch World Cup where the Death Eaters forced a muggle family to float above, completely out of control.

"That's enough Moody," Ara said, pulling her wand out and pointing it at the man.

"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned," growled Moody, continuing to bounce the ferret higher and higher while listening to it squeal in pain. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do…"

"I said ENOUGH!" Ara shouted causing a ripple threw the air that pushed people back away from the scene, even Moody had to take a step back to stay upright.

The Ferret crashed to the ground and Moody lowered his wand. The doors to the castle flew open and McGonagall and Lily came out.

"What's going on?" McGonagall asked Moody who was still standing, staring contemplatively at Ara.

Lily passed a curious look to Harry who was still standing with wide eyes, staring at the ferret still on the ground.

"There's a signature on the curse, Ara," Rosier said after trying to transform Draco back.

"Miss Lestrange, put your wand down," McGonagall said when she realized Ara had pulled her wand on a Professor.

"Change him back," Ara whispered as the other three Professor's caught up to them.

"He attempted to attack his opponent when his back was turned," Moody said once more "It's a cowardly thing to do."

"So you said," Ara said, her eyes not shifting from Moody. "it's also quite cowardly to control a person without giving them the appropriate opportunity to defend themselves or fight back. And I highly doubt Dumbledore would be pleased to learn that one of his Professors was using transfiguration as punishment."

"Transfiguration?" Lily said, staring at the Ferret with wide eyes "Is that a student!?" She shouted.

Moody didn't take his eyes off of Ara, but instead flicked his wand, turning Draco back into his usual self.

Draco sat on the ground, wild eyed and skittish.

When he got to his feet he mumbled, "just wait until my father hears about this."

"Your father? I could tell you stories about your father that would make even your hair curl boy!" Moody shouted taking a step towards Draco only to run into an invisible barrier.

Draco nearly fell backward before scampering back up to the castle with Goyle and Crabbe closely behind him.

Moody turned quickly towards Ara, pulling out his wand after realizing she's the one who put up the barrier.

Ara lowered her wand "I never want you near my cousin again, understand? Other than classes you are not to have contact with him and if you ever cast another spell on him in class or outside of class I will ensure that you are locked up in Azkaban with all those people you are so proud to have put in there."

"That boy needs to learn," Moody said pointing up towards the castle.

"He won't learn by being tortured and humiliated!"

"That doesn't seem to be a belief shared by your family," he growled.

"That's enough Alastor," McGonagall said firmly, ending the conversation before it could get worse. "I will be speaking to Dumbledore about this, I suggest you return to your quarters," she finished.

With one last glance at Ara, Moody walked back up to the castle with McGonagall followed close behind him.

"What on earth happened?" Lily asked Ara while Harry started making his way towards them.

Ara shook her head, still angry about the whole ordeal. Angry at Harry for what he said, angry Draco for cursing Harry and ignoring her, but mostly angry at Moody for what he did to Draco.

"I don't know," she said shortly, "Why don't you ask your son," she finished before walking up to the castle to go and see Draco.

She was stopped once she was in the entrance hall by Harry.

"I didn't start it," Harry said.

Ara turned around to find that Lily had followed, clearly having not been told what happened.

"I haven't done anything do Malfoy, whatever he's telling you, he's making up," Harry said and for the first time since Ara knew him, Harry sounded like a 14-year-old boy.

Ara frowned in confusion

"It's why you've stopped talking to me, right?" He asked, hurt present in his voice.

She shook her head and grabbed him by the arm before pulling him in the direction of an empty classroom, not wanting to have this conversation in front of nosy students hoping to make a couple of bucks with Rita Skeeter.

"Can we have a minute?" Harry asked his mother, who had followed the two of them.

"I'd like to hear what happened," Lily said, her arms crossed while she glared at her son.

Harry sighed and looked back at Ara.

"Well Malfoy came up to us and started making fun of Hermione and I defended her and then he said I was only doing that because of my muggle mother, so… well, I made fun of his mum and then Mad-Eye turned him into a Ferret."

Ara rolled her eyes "You told Draco that he had to stand up to his mother because she's the only person who could ever love him."

Lily's eyes widened in response and Harry looked down guiltily.

"Ara I get that he's your cousin, but he's a jerk! And like I said he started it, not me. I thought we were friends but ever since he started lying to you you've been treating me like everyone else."

Ara sighed in frustration "Draco's not lying to me Harry! We don't ever talk about you, but you're missing the point."

Harry shook his head and sat down on one of the chairs.

"Draco didn't start it," she said bluntly. "You started it when you were 11 years old, but that doesn't even matter."

"I didn't start it, I met him on the train and he made fun of Ron."

Ara shook her head and threw her arms up in frustration. "Good Lord practice a little empathy. Harry, you were born into an amazing family that doesn't believe in power, or being better than anyone, or crushing those who despise you. You grew up loved for simply being you, Draco and I didn't.

"When my mother was around she didn't love me, I don't think Bellatrix Lestrange knew what it meant to love, she was a cold hearted sociopath who married a narcissist. Lucius wasn't ever much better than them! He's just better at hiding it. The only thing Draco has going for him was that he isn't me. He is the son Lucius always wanted, but he can't screw up… ever.

We always had to act a certain way, walk a certain way, speak a certain way because of our heritage, because we were purebloods. So when Draco offered you his hand in your first year and you didn't take it, it was like you spat in his face and told him to go to hell."

"What?" Harry asked, completely bewildered.

It was a silly rule, but in pureblood society, handshakes were important, they were more than just polite. You always shook someone's hand upon meeting them even if you hated them.

Ara shook her head "I know you had no idea, but you've been fighting with Draco for four long years and I don't know what to do with you two! He's like a brother to me and I care about you too, but I can't have both your backs when you fight! Draco may be an arse and he may be selfish and arrogant, but he's loyal and smart and a good person to have behind you.

Besides today you hit it on the mark. Aunt Narcissa is one of the only people who truly loves him, and by the way, she is an amazing person."

The stress was getting to her, she wasn't even sure if she got her point across, she wasn't even sure what her point was. Without waiting for a response she turned and left the classroom. She needed to get things straightened out with Draco.

She made her way to the Slytherin common room and when she found he wasn't there, she headed up to the dormitories. She opened the door without knocking and was surprised to find that Draco was alone. He must have told his goons to leave. He was sitting on a small couch by the window, staring outside. He didn't even glance in her direction when she walked in.

"He shouldn't have done that," he said after a few moments of silence.

"no," she responded simply.

"you agree with him? You think I'm a coward?" Draco asked, turning to look at her.

Ara frowned "no, I don't think you should have cursed him with his back turned, but I don't think it was done out of cowardice."

Draco shook his head and turned back to the window. "I can't stand Potter."

Ara smiled at him, "I actually think you two would get on quite well if you'd stop all this childish bickering," she said smirking when his head jerked towards her.

"what?" he said stunned and offended that she would even suggest it. "Me friends with Potter? Are you mad?"

"Think about it Draco, you both love Quidditch, you're excellent students, you are both fond of that Granger girl."

Draco jumped to his feet at the implication "I do not like Granger, she's a mudblood!"

Ara rolled her eyes, the smirk still plastered on her face. "Don't act like being a mudblood means anything. There are plenty of muggle borns who are talented. Granger is top in your year, and well rumor is that Lily Potter was the best in her year."

Draco shook his head and rolled his eyes "I don't like Granger," he said firmly. "Besides," Draco continued "did you forget that Potter snubbed me?"

Ara's smile lessened "he didn't understand what he was doing."

Draco shook his head "how could he not understand, his father is pure blood."

"That doesn't matter, he wasn't raised like that. The Potters didn't think anything of blood status and James didn't teach his son."

Draco paused, thinking through what she said. "Well that's ridiculous, don't they know that there's a reason for pure blood ways?"

Ara shook her head "no, they don't get that. All they think when people talk of pure blood customs is the war against Grindelwald and the war against You-Know-Who. So they separate themselves as far as they can from our customs."

Draco seemed to be deep in thought and ended up simply nodding. "Well I'm not about to try and become friends with Potter," he said smugly "it would ruin my reputation."

Ara rolled her eyes and sat next to him on the small couch. He smiled softly at her, it was a smile that she loved so much, a smile he would often give her when he was younger and more innocent. A smile that showed how truly kind and genuine his heart was.

"I'm sorry," he said, a guilty look forming on his face. "For not sitting with you at lunch, I just didn't know what to say," he said.

Ara smiled, "Uncle Lucius taught us many things growing up, however, one thing he did _not_ teach us was how to handle bad publicity," she said, causing Draco to scoff in agreement.

"I know what the first task is," Ara said quietly, nudging Draco with her knee.

His eyes widened and lit up at the information. "What?"

"Dragons."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The First Task

The tournament was approaching quickly, but Ara found that she wasn't nearly as nervous as she thought she'd be. She had a tentative plan, that may of course change depending on what the task was. One person who she was worried about, was Harry. Karkaroff told Ara that Fleur knew of what the task was but that she would still have an advantage on the Hogwarts champions since Dumbledore was too noble to tell his students. Of course this made Ara want the advantage even less.

Ara knew that she needed to talk to Harry about the task, but she hadn't spoken to them since her latest rant after his fight with Draco. She wasn't mad at him; she just didn't know what to do with the two of them or how to handle Draco not wanting her to be friends with him.

She sighed deeply, jumped out of her bed, got ready for the day and raced towards the castle. After getting directions to James Potter's classroom from a frightened first year student, she headed in that direction.

She knocked on the door to get a muffled "come in" in response.

She walked in and closed the door behind her. James was sitting behind his desk at the front of the classroom, pouring over papers laid out in front of him. He glanced up when the door closed and ended up doing a double take, surprised by who was in his classroom.

"Ara," he said, putting down his quill and paper. "What can I do for you?" he asked, confusion evident in his voice.

Ara glanced back at the door before walking towards the desk and pulling up a chair on the opposite side. "Do you know what the first task is?"

James looked at her surprised, but didn't answer.

"I'm not asking for me of course; I guess I was just wandering if you've told Harry?"

James hesitated briefly before shaking his head. "I don't know what it is. I'm afraid Dumbledore and anyone else who knows is incredibly tight-lipped at the moment."

Ara could hear the honesty in his voice and the bitterness that Dumbledore wouldn't tell him.

"Would you help Harry if you did know?"

James hesitated once more "we aren't supposed to help the contestants… but my fourteen-year-old son was entered into a dangerous tournament, so yes I would do anything possible to help him. I suppose that's why they haven't told me," he laughed bitterly.

Ara gave him a sympathetic smile "while I can appreciate Dumbledore's honesty and reasoning behind keeping it a secret, I think he forgot to take into consideration the competition."

James looked at her curiously.

"Dragons are the first task," she said quietly.

"What?" he asked. "Like fire breathing dragons? Are you sure? How do you know?" he asked.

Ara nodded "yes I'm sure and yes, fire breathing dragons. And I know because – well, initially I accidently found them but Karkaroff did tell me last night…"

James seemed to be struggling to wrap his head around the information. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked.

She smiled and laughed "well for one I don't want Harry to have no plan and burn to a crisp and two," she said ignoring the worried and stressed look on James's face, "I'm almost certain that Fleur knows as well and it's not entirely a fair competition if two of us have an advantage…"

"I suppose that's true," he said running a worried hand through his messy hair.

"besides, now you can help him prepare and maybe he will actually have a chance against the amazing Ara Lestrange," she said with a smirk.

James smiled and tilted his head to the side before shaking it as though trying to get rid of a thought.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing, you just reminded me of someone."

Ara laughed "who Draco? I wish people would realize that he gets his arrogance from me, I don't get it from him."

James laughed but shook his head "no, not Malfoy… My mother actually," he said with a fond smile. "It was something she used to say when I was younger."

Ara smiled awkwardly, she didn't quite know what to say to that. She briefly wondered if his mother was still alive, but thought better than to ask.

"So what do you have to do to the dragon?" James asked, getting back on track.

Ara shrugged "I honestly don't know; I was told we just have to get past them… They are in the forbidden forest, there are handlers there that might answer more questions for you," she said, not letting on that Charlie was the one who first told her.

James nodded and seemed to be thinking hard. Ara could only assume it was about how to get past a fire breathing dragon.

"well, thank you for telling me… I really appreciate it."

"Of course," Ara said as she stood up to leave.

"Wait," James said, gesturing for Ara to sit back down. "I heard about your argument with Harry," he said and Ara nodded. "He feels bad that you think he started all this stuff with Malfoy.. truthfully, they've just never gotten on well and no I didn't teach Harry about any pureblood customs, but that's because I don't want Harry to live by them."

"James, I didn't mean any disrespect when I said that," Ara said quickly "and I don't want Harry to feel bad, I didn't mean that it's all his fault, I just wanted him to try to see it from another point of view."

"and I get that, but Draco is kind of a bully - "

"Yes he is," she said firmly, offering a small smile "I want what's best for Draco and part of that means getting him out of his father's influence… I don't agree with the pureblood customs, but that's all that Lucius taught us and Draco doesn't know anything different. I'd love nothing more that for Harry and Draco to be friends, it would make my life a whole lot easier, but the only way that'll happen is if I can get Harry to be a bit sympathetic and Draco to be less judgmental."

"You want them to be friends?" James asked incredulously. "They've been fighting for four years, that would take a miracle."

"Stranger things have happened," she said with a smirk.

James shook his head and smiled "well I wish you well on your mission… I know that Malfoy doesn't want you to spend time with Harry and it probably doesn't look good for you to be seen with any of us really, but if you do ever want to… I don't know, spend time with us" he said awkwardly "well we are excellent at keeping secrets and we know all sorts of secret passageways."

Ara was touched by the offer, it meant a lot that they were willing to keep any sort of friendship a secret. She didn't want her family knowing she was going soft and she didn't want Draco to be jealous. "thank you."

"I should probably be off," she said, standing up once more. "I have class soon and I'm sure you do as well."

"Yes, thanks again for the information."

Ara nodded "tell Harry I said good luck," she said kindly as she reached for the door. She hesitated briefly before turning back "James, the girl on the portrait to your living quarters… that's your daughter, right?"

James nodded and smiled sadly. "yes that's Alaina. Dumbledore was kind enough to get the portrait done for us when we came to work here. He thought it would make the castle more like home."

Ara nodded and smiled "she was a beautiful little girl," she said.

"thank you," he said.

With that Ara nodded in goodbye and closed the door behind her.

* * *

The day of the first task came quickly and during breakfast Ara found that her nerves were getting the best of her. She took a few bites of toast and a few sips of water, but found that she really couldn't down anything. The dragon that she was about to face kept popping into her mind.

She glanced around the Great Hall and found that she wasn't the only one who couldn't eat. Harry had his hands buried in his hair, Cedric was pushing food around his plate, and Fleur wasn't even making an effort with food, but seemed to be taking shaky sips of tea instead.

"you vill be vine," Viktor said from beside her.

Ara shook her head and didn't say anything. She could face an angry uncle any day of the week, but this was a fire breathing dragon.

"I don't think I've ever seen you this nervous," Viktor said with a small smile.

Ara simply glared at her friend and turned back to look at her food. She hadn't told her friends what she would be facing. Part of her wanted them to be surprised while the other part of her was keeping her promise to Charlie and not spreading around the information.

She didn't have to wait long, she glanced across the room and found James walking up to Cedric and Harry and the two of them following him out of the room.

"It's time Lestrange," Karkaroff said coming over to the Slytherin table. He looked nervous as well and Ara knew why. He was torn between his hatred for her and wanting Durmstrang to win. If she did horrible, he would feel sick pleasure in her failure, but Durmstrang would look bad as well. There was really no win for him.

She got up to her feet and made her way out to the entrance hall, ignoring the few people applauding and wishing her good luck from the Slytherin table.

"Ara!" came the thick French accent from behind her. She turned around to find Fleur walking quickly towards her. "Madam Maxime 'as already gone down," she glanced at towards Karkaroff who hadn't waited, but continued walking towards the tournament.

Ara smiled at her and looped her arm with Fleur's. "Come on," she said and the two of them began walking out onto the grounds. She and Fleur weren't good friends or friends at all for that matter, but in that moment the support was welcomed, needed even.

Karkaroff was leading them toward the place where the dragons were, around the edge of the forest, but when they approached the clump of trees behind which the enclosure would be clearly visible, Ara saw that a tent had been erected, its entrance facing them, screening the dragons from view.

When they entered the tent they found that Harry and Cedric were already there. Cedric was pacing up and down the room. He stopped briefly when they entered, giving them a small smile, but his smile fell as he seemed to remember why they were there. Harry was sitting on a wooden stool, looking far younger than Ara had ever seen him. He was pale and clammy and fiddling with the hem of his shirt.

"Welcome! Welcome, came a boisterous voice behind them, causing both Ara and Fleur to jump. The two of them along with Cedric made their way to chairs near Harry, waiting to hear what the first task was, although they all already knew.

Bagman looked somehow like a slightly overblown cartoon figure, standing amid all the pale-faced champions. He was wearing his old Wasp robes again.

"well, since we're all here, I suppose I'll fill you in!" Bagman said brightly. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag" – he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them – "from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different – er – varieties, you see. And well your only goal in this competition is to collect the golden egg!" he finished, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Ara ran her hands through her hair. So that was it, get past the dragon and get the golden egg. That would explain why they wanted nesting mothers… Those mothers were more likely to protect the eggs, making them far more dangerous.

She glanced around at the other contestants. Cedric nodded once, to show that he understood. Fleur didn't react at all, but was instead choosing to stare intently at her hands. Harry was looking around as well. He made eye contact with her and offered her a small shaky smile, but it looked as though he had entirely forgotten how to use his face muscles.

Bagman left the tent only briefly and in no time at all, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet could be heard passing the tent, their owners talking excitedly, laughing, joking… what seemed like a second later, Bagman was back in the tent, opening the neck of a purple silk sack.

"ladies first," he said, offering the bag to Fleur.

Ara frowned and looked at Cedric who was holding back a laugh. He simply shrugged in response.

Fleur put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon – a Welsh Green. It had the number two around its neck and Ara couldn't help but smile at the tiny dragon. She hoped that after the tournament, they would be able to keep theirs.

Bagman held out the bag to her next, taking a deep breath and grabbing a dragon. She pulled out a scarlet Chinese Fireball that wore a number 3 around its neck. She held the dragon close to her and for the first time that day she could feel some of her courage returning.

Cedric went next and he pulled out a blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout with a number 1 tied around its neck. Harry went last, pulling out a Hungarian Horntail with a number 4 around its neck. She didn't know much about dragons, most of what she did know, she learned in the last couple weeks. One thing she was certain of however, was that Hungarian Horntails were dangerous dragons. A small sense of dread settled in her stomach and she quietly prayed that Harry was prepared.

"Well, there you are!" said Bagman, breaking the tense silence. "You have each pulled out the dragon that you will face and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see?"

Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating. Mr. Diggory, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now Harry, could I have a quick word?" Bagman asked gesturing to an area just outside the tent. Harry nodded and followed Bagman outside.

Ara sighed, contemplating eavesdropping on the two of them, but deciding against it since both Fleur and Cedric were there. Instead she got to her feet and went out the entrance of the tent. She stood on the edge of the forest taking deep, steadying breaths. It was just a dragon. It was something that Charlie did every day and if he could do it she was certain she could as well.

She could see people entering the enclosure where the dragons were. It seemed most people had already gone in, but there were a few stragglers. One straggler in particular that caught her eyes had striking blond hair. She seemed to catch his attention as well as he turned towards her and closed the distance between them.

As he got closer, Ara noticed that he wasn't his usual charming, arrogant, happy self, but he seemed shaken.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Draco nodded quickly "you know what you're doing right?" he asked quietly.

Ara nodded and she realized that the reason for his nerves was the fact that she was about to face a dragon.

Draco nodded "I know if anyone can do this task its you… but still."

"I'll be fine Draco, even if I fail, there are people there to protect us," she said, not mentioning that one of those people was Charlie Weasley. That wouldn't put his mind at ease at all.

"Are Aunt Cissy and Uncle Lucius here?" she asked, changing the conversation.

Draco nodded, "they're already inside, sitting near Professor Snape, I believe."

Ara nodded and and the first whistle sounded. She waved a shaky goodbye to Draco and went back into the tent. When she entered it was to see Cedric leaving.

"Good luck!" she shouted, he turned around and gave her a weak smile, he was greener than ever. She went back and sat down next to Fleur and seconds later, they heard the roar of the crowd, which she assumed meant that Cedric had entered the enclosure and was now face to face with the living counterpart of his small model.

Ara found that it was worse, sitting and listening to what was going on behind the curtain, but not being able to see it. The crowd screamed… yelled… gasped like a single many-headed entity, as Cedric did whatever he was doing to get past the Swedish Short-Snout.

Harry was sitting with his head down, staring at his shoes. Ara wanted to do something, to comfort him in some way, but she had no idea how to. Fleur had taken to retracing Cedric's steps, around and around the tent.

Ara couldn't help flinch at Bagman's commentary. It seemed to make everything so much worse… Horrible pictures formed in her mind as she heard "Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow." And "he's taking risks, this one!" it seemed to drag on and after about fifteen minutes there was a deafening roar that could only mean one thing: Cedric had gotten past the dragon and gotten the golden egg.

"very good indeed!" Bagman was shouting. "And now the marks from the judges!"

It was unfortunate that Bagman didn't shout out the marks, Ara supposed the judges were holding them up and showing them to the crowd.

"One down, three to go!" Bagman yelled as the whistle blew again. "Miss Delacour, if you please!"

The crowd roared once again. Ara looked at Fleur and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. She was trembling head to foot, but stood up with grace, held her head high, clutched her wand tight, and exited the tent. She and Harry were left alone, only a couple seats between them.

The same process started again… Bagman began shouting similar things as he did when it was Cedric's turn, the crowd was screaming and gasping. Ara did her best to tune them out, it was her turn next. She knew what she had to do, she replayed the spells in her mind once again, all she needed was to focus her magic.

Harry sat down beside her, Ara glanced at him and he gave her a small, scared smile.

"You have a plan?" she asked quietly.

Harry nodded "of course, thanks to you."

Ara smiled in return "I'm sorry about everything," she said.

Harry shook his head "no need… I needed a nice hard slap in the face," he said with a snort, lightening the mood in the tent.

"I don't get it," Harry said "why would they bring fully grown dragons to a a school with children anyways?"

"well… they didn't only bring dragons… they brought the handlers as well," she said.

Harry shook his head, "you're right, that makes it much better," he said sarcastically, his smile dropping from his face.

"look, harry, everything's going to be – "

"Stop," he said quietly "please don't say it… tell me I'm going to die, tell me the sun is going to explode, tell me the world is ending and there's nothing I can do about it because if I hear it's going to be okay one more time, I'm going to scream."

There was a silence that followed his statement, Ara tried to hold it in, but found she was unsuccessful. She laughed and when she started she found that it was difficult to stop. "Good lord Harry!," she said when she caught her breath. She looked at him through watery eyes to see that he was laughing as well. "Are you always so negative?" she asked with a small laugh.

"I'm not trying to be negative, but I need it to be okay that it might not be okay, you know?"

He asked, Ara shook her head not having any idea where he was going.

He sighed "I'm fourteen and I've been entered in this tournament and all I get is words of hatred and anger or sympathetic glances and a bunch of 'it'll be okays' and the truth of the matter is I'm in a dangerous tournament that may not kill people 17 and older, but may very well kill people under the age of 17. It might not be okay, I mean trouble follows me everywhere!"

Ara thought for a moment, she could understand what he was saying "but it always turns out okay, doesn't it?"

Harry looked back down at his hands and shrugged "not really… it wasn't okay when Alaina died, or when Sirius was sent to Azkaban, or when a professor died, or when Ginny, Ron's younger sister, was tormented and scarred by Voldemort…"

Ara flinched at the name, not because she was frightened, but because she hadn't heard it spoken. She was briefly surprised that Harry was so bold, but listening to everything that wasn't okay, reminded her that she knew very little about him, about what he's been through.

"And sure we always made it through, but it was never okay… I'd rather hear we'll make it through this, then it'll be okay," he finished. He sent her a sad smile when he was done, like it was a relief to get that off his chest. "sorry," he whispered.

"no, I'm sorry," she said nudging him with her elbow. "you're right, it's not always okay and some people are just born with tragedy in their blood…" the crowd erupted into applause once more and Ara got to her feet, taking a deep breath. "we'll make it through this," she said, ruffling Harry's hair "now keep your head up, shoulders back and don't doubt yourself, you are a bloody Potter after all," she said before heading to the tent exit.

She didn't wait for Harry to respond, but when she heard the whistle blow, she walked out through the entrance of the tent, past the trees, and through a gap in the enclosure fence. When she entered the enclosure she found that there were hundreds and hundreds of faces staring down at her from the stands high above. Across the enclosure stood a Chinese fire ball dragon, crouched low over her eggs as though she knew what was coming.

She ran forward, ducking down behind a boulder, her wand clutched tight in her hand. She glanced around for any sort of dirt like substance. On one edge of the enclosure she saw mud. She disillusioned herself and began heading in that direction. As she got closer to the dragon she began ducking behind rocks, knowing that although the dragon couldn't entirely see her, it could sense her.

She reached the dirt, pointed her wand at it and began causing it to swirl and roll into a ball. _'forhomina,'_ she whispered under her breath moving her wand in a circular motion, causing the mud to take shape, growing taller with every second. ' _exemplu'_ she whispered when the mud began resembling a person. With one more spell she had the golem looking as though it were a dragon handler. After making a second one, she sent them off to distract the dragon while she approached. She disillusioned herself once more and began making her way towards the dragon.

The golems were successfully distracting the dragon. She wasn't initially angry at them; she did seem to recognize them as being trustworthy. After a short while the golems started moving backwards towards the entrance of the enclosure. The dragon looked around before standing to her feet and moving towards them. Ara took her opportunity to run behind the dragon, towards the eggs. She grabbed the gold one tightly in her arms. She distantly heard the crowd yelling, but she couldn't focus on that, the golems were quickly draining her energy and she knew she needed to get out. She turned back towards the entrance of the tent to find that the dragon was upon her, bearing over her. In the distance she could see the dragon handlers running towards her, shooting spells at the dragon, but that only seemed to enrage it further.

"This isn't your egg!" Ara shouted without thinking. The dragon that had been about to blow fire seemed to pause briefly, tilting its head as though it were curious, as though it understood her. Before she had time to contemplate more, she found herself being pulled away from the dragon and being walked towards the entrance of the tent. She held tightly to the egg as she let the arm that was wrapped around her waist drag her.

When they were a safe distance she turned to see that it was Charlie who had been with her. He smiled largely at her "that was amazing," he said, awe evident in his voice.

Ara smiled back and wrapped her arms around his waist, much to her own surprise. Charlie didn't seem to mind though as he hugged her back, squeezing her tightly.

"Did you do something?" Ara asked breathlessly. "to stop the dragon I mean? I thought it was going to burn me to a crisp."

Charlie's smile fell slightly as he shook his head. "no, I'm actually surprised as well, she almost seemed to like you," he said.

They didn't have long to discuss it further because before she knew it, her scores were being announced. She sighed in relief and her eyes widened in surprise. Madame Maxime had given her a nine, she supposed that was as good as she could hope for, it was only one point off from the max. What surprised her the most was receiving a 10 from the other judges.

"The others got hurt," Charlie said, seeing her surprise. "you were quickest and you don't have a scratch."

Ara simply nodded and couldn't stop the grin that formed on her face. Not only was it a near perfect score, but she had also made it through the tournament successfully. She was done with the first task.

The last whistle sounded and Ara said goodbye to Charlie as he ran off to make sure Harry made it through the task. She headed through the enclosure exit and up to the stands where she could watch him. She found Fleur standing at the edge of the stands away from everyone, getting ready to watch the last contestant. She smiled brightly at her when she reached her.

"'ou did incredible," Fleur said with a bright smile. "I never 'ould have thought of a Golem… I don't theenk I could create a Golem."

"Thanks," Ara responded, glancing at the enclosure to see Harry entering. "I really wish I could have seen you two as well, what did you do?" she asked, hoping her answer was quick.

"I used a charm to put eet into a trance," she said "my skirt caught fire."

"oh," Ara said glancing at Fleur's skirt to see that she had mended it. "That must've been cool, hypnotizing it," she said.

Fleur nodded, looking down at Harry who was standing behind a rock, his wand pointed towards the castle. "what's 'e doing?" she asked, leaning over the edge.

Ara glanced around, unsure of what he had planned. He wasn't moving, but staying put. It was then that she noticed it flying into the stadium. "look!" she said to Fleur, pointing towards Harry's broom.

Harry's broom flew straight to him and Harry swung his leg over the broom and kicked off from the ground. He seemed to become more confident on his broom than Ara had ever seen him. He began circling the dragon's head, attempting to distract it.

"'e can fly!" Fleur said.

After a short while, Harry made a more drastic move, he dove. Ara gasped and grabbed the railing in front of her as the tail of the dragon whipped around and grazed his shoulder, causing him swerve in the air. He didn't give up though, he continued to fly in circles around the dragon's head. He continued to fly higher and higher until the dragon left the ground and just like that he was gone like a flash of lightning shooting down towards the earth, grabbing the golden egg tightly in both his hands.

Ara cheered with the crowd, clapping loudly, Fleur clapping politely beside her.

"where's Cedric?" Ara asked Fleur.

"I theenk 'e is being treated," she said "he transfigured a rock eento a dog, but thee dragon attacked 'im," She said

Harry's scores were shown and Ara had to scoff at the nerve of her headmaster, there was no reason that Harry should have gotten a 4.

"Should we go see the other two?" Ara asked Fleur who nodded in response, glancing briefly at the crowd that was now standing and filing out of the stadium.

Ara turned to walk down the steps when she heard Fleur squeal beside her. "What are 'ou doing?" she asked a boy angrily.

The boy looked to be a seventh year, if Ara could guess, she would say 17 or 18. He was a Hogwarts student and by the emblem on his robes, he was a Slytherin. She frowned, she thought she knew all the Slytherin 7th years.

"I'm sorry, my hand slipped," he said with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Fleur was angry, angrier than Ara had ever seen her. Her eyes were fierce and her hands clenched into fists.

"'ou are deesgusting!" she said as the crowd pushed behind them shoving the boy towards Fleur.

It was then that Ara saw him get a bit too handsy with her as he pushed Fleur back into a friend of his who automatically wrapped his arms around Fleur.

Ara didn't even think before she grabbed the Slytherin who pushed her "didn't your mother teach you any manners?" she said harshly.

"What's wrong Ara, are you jealous?" he leered.

"You _are_ disgusting," Ara said astonished that he would be so bold in such a public area. Ara sent a wave of magic through his arm, focusing all her energy on transfiguring his face to make it more feminine, causing his hair to grow long, his eye lashes to grow, his face to slim, and giving him a fair amount of make up. "Now you can touch yourself instead of others," she said quietly.

His friends began laughing at the transformation and Fleur's face turned from disgust to a look of surprise.

"you Bitch," the boy said, taking a step towards Ara.

The head of a cane hit the boys shoulder "I wouldn't do that if I were you Flint or I'll have you arrested and ensure that an important piece of anatomy is removed from you body," came the low voice of Lucius Malfoy.

The boy, Flint, looked back the older Malfoy and decided wisely to bite his tongue and walk away, but not without one last glare towards Ara.

"Merci," Fleur said gratefully, grabbing Ara's hand. "I cannot believe 'e would do that… that… -"

"Don't worry about it," Ara said.

"I should go," Fleur said, glancing towards the edge of the stadium where a young blond girl was standing waving at Fleur. "My seester is vaiting," she said. "Please do not tell anyone about – "

"I won't" Ara promised.

When Fleur left to find her family, Ara turned back to her own. "Thank you Uncle," she said, genuinely grateful for his timely arrival. She didn't need him to stand up for her, but it did prevent her from doing anything truly horrible to the boy.

Lucius nodded in acknowledgment, but didn't say anything else on the topic. "your golem was excellent," he said quietly and for the first time, Ara felt that he was truly impressed with her.

"Ara, darling," Ara turned to find her aunt Narcissa approaching with Draco. Narcissa had a large smile on her face. Narcissa pulled Ara into a soft, stiff hug. It wasn't often they were affectionate in public. "It was incredible, you are clearly the person to beat," she said with a fond smile before glancing at her husband.

"we'll celebrate tonight of course, in Hogsmeade, your friends are more than welcome," Lucius said.

"Sounds great," Ara said, pulling her younger cousin to her side "Draco can come, right?" she asked her uncle.

"Of course," he said without hesitation. Ara knew that he'd have to pull some strings with either the headmaster or Draco's head of house. Personally, she hoped for Snape, she knew he would do nearly anything for her uncle.

"excellent," she said. "In that case, I'll let you get things figured out and I'm going to take my egg back to the ship... I'll meet you in the entrance hall at 7?" she asked.

"Very well," Lucius said before beckoning his wife towards the stadium exit.

Ara smiled at Draco who threw his arm around her.

"It really was amazing… None of my friends even knew what it was that you created," he said proudly.

"Thanks, want to come to the ship with me?" she asked, not waiting for an answer but dragging him with her towards the champion's tent.

When they entered, they found that only Harry and his friends were there. Ara glanced briefly at Draco who's smile turned into a frown.

"Well done Harry," Ara said with a genuine smile. She was happy to see that Ron was with Harry, clearly they had gotten over the argument.

"Thanks," he said smiling largely. "you too, Hermione said your golem was truly amazing," he said with a glance at the young witch who blushed before nudging Harry.

"Well, we're heading back up to the castle, there's a party in Gryffindor tower," Ron said with a brisk voice, pulling Harry and Hermione toward the tent exit.

"um, good…" Ara was startled when she heard Draco talking, she figured he would simply glare and wait for the trio to leave. "good… way to not die Potter," he said

Ara would have laughed had it not been such a big deal that her cousin had basically congratulated Harry, or at least tried to.

"Thanks.. Malfoy," Harry responded with a half-smile that looked more like a grimace. Hermione beside him was looking far happier than Harry and was smiling largely while looking between Draco and Harry. It was clear to Ara that the young witch was hoping for some harmony among her classmates as well.

The trio passed without another word and Ara pulled Draco into a tight hug, one that he struggled against. She messed up his hair before pulling away, causing him to run his hands through it trying to get it to stay down.

Ara knew better than to bring attention to the fact that Draco just tried to be nice to his sworn enemy, so instead she grabbed her small dragon replica and stayed silent while the two of them walked towards the Durmstrang Ship.

* * *

The crowd in Hogsmeade ended up being far larger than was anticipated. Not only were all the Durmstrang students and most Slytherin students present, but there were also students from the other Hogwarts houses as well as Beauxbatons students. Cedric and Fleur had also shown up, which Ara was grateful for. It meant that they were celebrating getting through the first task and not her being in first place.

She greeted the other two champions enthusiastically and bought them both a round of shots, which they downed gratefully. For the first time since the tournament began Ara felt that the tournament was fulfilling its purpose, bringing the differing magical schools together. She was only sad that Harry couldn't make it. Although there were other underage students there, it seemed Gryffindor house was not present, choosing to celebrate with Harry instead.

"I've been thinking Ara," her uncle was saying, having pulled her away from her friends and bought her a drink. "You need to be careful when dealing with the press, thankfully your success today should help with the negative comments, but you need to find a way to manipulate the press," he said, his eyes focused.

"You should go to Severus and ask him to teach you ligilimens," he said with a nod in Snape's direction who was sitting and having a drink with Narcissa.

Ara was surprised, after being taught occlumency, she didn't think her uncle wanted her to know legilimens.

"It'll help you gain the upper hand in conversations if you know what someone is thinking," he said thoughtfully.

Ara nodded and glanced back towards Snape. She wasn't ecstatic about learning from him, but he did know his stuff and legilimens was something that she had been wanting to learn. She wouldn't admit it to her uncle of course, but if she could choose to learn legilimens from anyone, it would be Dumbledore. Whether or not her family like him, there was no denying his reputation.

The rest of the night passed in a blur. Ara's aunt and uncle left shortly after their conversation, leaving Ara to ensure that Draco got back to the castle safely. Frankly the thought seemed silly even to her for he was far soberer than she was.

Because of that, by the end of the night when Madame Rosmerta was kicking everyone out of the pub, Ara dutifully walked her cousin and his friends back up to the castle before making her way by herself back to the ship.

She paused at the sight of a figure sitting on the bank of the Black Lake, leaning on his hands and staring up at the stars. She changed direction and instead walked towards him, plopping down on the sand beside him.

He smiled largely when he saw her, it was a smile that made her legs feel weak and put butterflies in her stomach.

"My uncle would kill me," Ara said, her words slurred.

Charlie tilted his head and gave a small laugh. "Are you drunk?" He asked

Ara shook her head adamantly before pausing and giving him the best puppy dog eyes, she could. "maybe a little," she said quietly. "What are you doing out here anyways?" she asked copying his position and staring up at the stars.

"Just thinking," he said, nudging her as she swayed in her seat.

"So why would your uncle kill you?" he asked, leaning in closely so that he could get her to focus on him.

Ara shrugged "why not?"

Charlie frowned "does he threaten you often?" he asked, his voice turning serious.

Ara snorted and pushed at Charlie playfully "don't do that," she said.

"Do what?"

"Act like I'm some muggle princess who needs saving," she said brushing her hair out of her face and sitting up straighter to face Charlie.

At Charlie's confused look she continued "you wouldn't be the first Charlie Weasley, who wanted to save me from my evil uncle… but let me tell you, I'm not afraid of Uncle Lucius. For one he's afraid that if he does too much damage to me it'll someday come back to bite him in the arse and two he knows that I have more power in my little finger than he does in his entire body. He wouldn't lay a hand on me," she said firmly, knowing deep down that she wasn't being entirely truthful.

Charlie stared at her for what felt like hours, at least in Ara's muddled mind it felt like hours.

"Alright," he said after a while "I won't save you."

"Good" she responded before leaning forward and planting a kiss on his lips.

Charlie was taken by surprise at the abrupt change. He pulled back and smiled "what on earth was that for?" he asked.

"What?" she asked, leaning forward once more.

Charlie put his hand on her shoulder to keep her from getting too close. "you're drunk," he said.

Ara rolled her eyes "I've had a few drinks yes, but I'm not so impaired that I want to do something I normally wouldn't."

Charlie frowned "so if you had nothing to drink you would still want to snog me?" he asked. "Why?"

Ara scoffed and hit him on the shoulder "Are you so insecure?"

Charlie scoffed back but couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Of course not, I know I'm incredibly handsome – "

"Then you shouldn't have to question why I want to kiss you," she said before leaning forward once more and kissing him, this time not letting up.

It took only a moment for Charlie to return the kiss, but once he did it was as though they couldn't stop. It was as though everything was finally how it was supposed to be and nothing could possibly go wrong in the world.

* * *

Ara could feel the sun coming through the open window and was slightly surprised to find herself in an unfamiliar bed. That was until the memories of the night before came rushing back. She glanced behind her to see Charlie still sleeping soundly, his bare chest showing above the covers.

She smiled at the sight, sure she had been drunk, but she was rather fond of the dragon tamer. She got out of bed and pulled on the t-shirt that was on the ground, she assumed it was Charlies given that it was far too large for her. She was able to get a better look around the place and realized that it must be where Charlie was staying while he was working at Hogwarts. It was a simple bedroom with a dresser, a desk, and of course a bed. There were two doors that left off the bedroom, one that went to the bathroom and the other that led off to a living area. Ara closed the door when she saw someone sitting on the couch, clearly Charlie shared the living quarters with someone else.

When she finished using the restroom, she returned to the room to find Charlie awake with his hand covering his face. He looked up at her when she entered and smiled, at least tried to smile although it seemed to be more of a grimace.

"What?" Ara asked hesitantly.

"I'm so sorry," he said sitting up. "normally I have more self-control than that."

Ara chuckled and walked over to the bed. "Well then I'm flattered that I made you lose control," she said with a smirk before kneeling on the bed.

Charlie's grimace lessened as she approached "you were drunk last night, and I took advantage," he said plainly.

Ara rolled her eyes "it's not taking advantage if both people want it," she said before crawling onto the bed and straddling his legs and throwing her arms around his neck.

"You were drunk," he said again, rather breathlessly. His eyes roamed from her face downwards, but he kept his hands at his side.

"I'm not drunk now," she said before pulling him into yet another kiss. His hands found her side immediately and he pulled her closer to him.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The Golden Egg

Ara sighed deeply re-reading the same sentence of her textbook for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Who is it?" Viktor asked.

The two of them came to the library, Viktor had been spending most of his time there since coming to Hogwarts and Ara found that it was one of the only places she could actually focus on school, at least that was until recently.

"What are you on about?" she asked, although she knew exactly what he was asking.

"the guy? That you are in love vith?"

Ara coughed and looked at him with an astonished glance "I'm not in _love_ with anyone…"

Viktor smiled, Ara often said that she would never fall in love and that she would always remain a player, although they both knew that to be completely untrue and that she was a hopeless romantic deep down.

"so, who are you sleeping vith?"

"Does it matter?" she asked sitting back in her chair and brushing her hair behind her shoulder, not bothering to deny it.

Viktor smirked "vell, are you going to invite him to the dance?" he asked with a glance towards a desk at the opposite end of the library.

Ara glared at him "no… He can't go," she said although she wasn't certain whether or not that was true. The truth was that nobody could know who she was with because if anyone ever discovered that she was with a Weasley, well she may not live to see the Yule Ball.

Viktor simply continued to smirk "you know I vill vind out yes?"

Ara shook her head and looked back down at her book. She wasn't sure what was up with her, but she had felt like she was on cloud nine ever since she started seeing Charlie. Of course, she wasn't sure what they were, they didn't talk about relationship type stuff. But they had been spending nearly all their free time together. It was enough that even distant friends of Ara's began to notice and question what school the person was going to.

She had also been spending an increasing amount of time staring at her golden egg. She had, like the other contestants, opened the egg only to find it screeching.

"Maybe you have to face a siren?" Draco suggested. They were sitting in the Slytherin common room with the egg on the table in front of them.

Ara shook her head "Sirens have beautiful voices that lure men… This is not a beautiful voice."

"maybe you have to compete to see who can screech the loudest," he said.

Ara laughed "that's probably it. The most dangerous tournament that any school aged child has faced involves them seeing who can scream the loudest."

The truth was however, that Ara had no idea what the next task would be. She wasn't worried just yet because she knew she still had a couple more months before the task, but she also knew that she couldn't put it off for too long.

* * *

The weather had quickly turned cold and it was obvious that winter had come. Ara was walking with Connor, both heading to the Great Hall for dinner after spending time in the library researching screaming objects.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw Draco approaching Harry and Ron, grabbing something off the floor in front of them. Part of her was hoping, _praying_ , that Draco wouldn't be a jerk, she didn't want any more issues.

Draco held up what looked to be a very old dress, or possibly wizarding dress robes.

"Weasley," Draco said, a look of disgust on his face "you weren't thinking about wearing these, were you? I mean – they were fashionable in about 1890…"

Ron started turning red from embarrassment, a trait that Charlie shared.

"Shove off Malfoy," Ron spat, ripping the robes out of his hands.

"Relax," Draco said holding up his hands in surrender "All you have to do is take off the ruffles and maybe change the color…" he trailed off.

Ara realized that Draco was genuinely giving Ron advice even if he said it in a snide way.

"well you would know Malfoy, you great big pansy… Did your mummy dress you up like a little girl when you were little? Did your boyfriend tell you what looks good?"

Draco's smile morphed quickly into a frown then a look of anger. He didn't have time to react however.

"Leave it Ron, he's right" Harry said, pulling Ron away from Draco.

"What?" Ron spluttered at Harry.

"If you take off the ruffles and change the color it would look better!" Harry insisted, glaring at his best friend. "Just take the advice and leave him alone."

"I can't believe you're taking his side," Ron said astounded.

Harry shook his head "I'm not taking anyone's side, but I'm done fighting, it's not worth my time." Harry finished and walked away leaving the other two to gape after him.

Ara rushed forward and pulled Draco into the Great Hall before he or Ron could do something to make the situation worse, or possibly make Harry regret standing up for Draco.

"He stood up for me," Draco said quietly to Ara when they were sitting at the Slytherin table.

Ara nodded and glanced at Connor who was looking equally surprised and pleased with the turn of events.

Ara nudged him and piled food onto his empty plate "he's not so bad once you get to know him," she said.

Draco shook his head and began eating, clearly needing to think about what just happened.

* * *

"I can't believe what you did," Charlie said as soon as the door was open, and Ara was in his living room.

"What?" Ara asked looking around, thinking maybe he was talking to someone else.

"You've changed the world entirely, everything's been flipped upside down, nobody knows the difference between good and evil, the tide has come in, the world stopped spinning –"

"What are you on about?" Ara asked interrupting him with an exasperated laugh.

Charlie smiled and pulled her down on the couch before pulling her legs onto his lap.

"Rumor is that Harry and Draco are best friends."

Ara scoffed and shook her head "hardly."

"Okay maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but my brother was in here quite upset that Harry stood up to him on Draco's behalf."

Ara shook her head "I honestly can't believe it either… Is Ron okay? Are they fighting again?"

Charlie shook his head "Ron isn't giving up his friendship with Harry quite so easily. And I did what Draco suggested and his hideous robes do look much better, so he did admit that Draco wasn't being mean."

"wow."

"Wow, indeed."

"What's this?" Ara asked, picking up the piece of parchment lying on the table in front of Charlie and Ara.

"A letter from my brother," he said with a heavy sigh. "He's been acting a bit odd, well he's always been odd, but unusually so."

"How so?"

"Well Percy has always been a bit... uptight... he works for the ministry, right under Crouch and he's been given a lot of assignments... I don't know."

"Well that must be exciting though.. working for Crouch."

Charlie gave her a sad smile "I'm sure it is, but there's just something about the situation that makes me squirm... Don't get me wrong, perce is talented and all, loves politics, wants to do well in life, but he can also be a bit blind."

Ara squeezed his hand "i'm sure he'll be alright love... even if there's something odd and Percy is being blinded by something or other, he'll learn. The truth will come out, it _always_ comes out," she insisted.

Charlie looked at her intently before sighing and letting his head plop onto the top of the back part of the couch, he ran his hand up to her thigh and rubbed circles along her skin with his thumb.

"What does your other brother do?" She asked, she knew he only had one other sibling who was working.

"Billy's a curse breaker for Gringotts in Egypt."

Ara raised her eyebrows in surprise "Wow, that's an impressive job... takes a lot of skill and knowledge."

Charlie sent her a small amused glare "yeah yeah he's got the looks, strength, and brains.. he's the whole package," he said with a snort.

Ara rolled her eyes "oh please, As if you don't have the looks, strength, and brains," she said, running her hand along his arms, squeezing at his muscle.

"I am rather good looking," Charlie said with a smirk and a wink.

Ara leaned forward and kissed him softly, running her hands through his red hair.

"A curse breaker... that has to be a dangerous job," Ara said, leaning back into the couch.

Charlie snorted "yeah, Bill said he got stuck with a rogue mummy once."

"And working with dragons isn't entirely safe," Charlie shook his head while Ara ran her fingers over one of his many burn scars.

"How does your mum feel knowing her two oldest sons have a death wish?" she asked with a laugh.

Charlie snorted "she's not very happy, let me tell you. She cried for days after Bill left, he had to write to her every day just so she knew he was alive and when I told her I was going to be working with Dragons, she tried locking me in the pantry! told me I couldn't leave."

Ara laughed and Charlie nudged her in the side.

"What do you want to do? plan on giving old Lucius a heart attack?"

The mood shifted quickly as Ara looked down at her hands. "Unfortunately I don't think the idea of me having a dangerous job would really terrify him... I mean he was all for me entering this tournament. What I want to do will only piss him off."

Charlie frowned "you don't think he'd care if you could die doing what you do?"

Ara laughed bitterly and shook her head "not as long as I die upholding the family name."

Charlie looked at her sadly and continued rubbing soothing circles on her leg.

"Don't Charlie... I don't need your pity."

Charlie looked somewhat apologetic.

"My uncle has never been too fond of me... I think it's because i'm too rebellious or because I don't generally give a damn what he thinks, and that's okay. I have plenty of other people in my life who do care about me." she said, surprising even herself.

"I care about you," he said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Ara nodded with a small smile "and I have Draco... Aunt Cissy sometimes acts like she doesn't care, but I know she does."

"Your friends at Durmstrang," he added in a strained voice, making Ara frown.

"Do you not like my friends?" she asked quickly.

Charlie looked at her surprised and shook his head "No they're fine... there's just a lot of guys who like you," he mumbled.

Ara laughed but shook her head "darling, the guys who i'm friends with know me far too well too have any sort of feelings towards me. Viktor is like a brother and Connor is in love with another girl in my class, he has been since our first year there."

Charlie didn't look entirely convinced, so Ara pulled her legs back and turned to face him so she was straddling him. "I'm all yours Charlie"

Charlie pulled her in to a tight kiss, pulling her close and twisting them so that she was laying on the couch with him leaning over her. They sat there for a few minutes, exchanging lazy kisses and enjoying the peace and quiet.

"You want to work with creatures?" Charlie pulled away from Ara and asked knowingly.

Ara nodded "how'd you know?"

Charlie shrugged "you just seem fond of them… There was the dragon and the Thestral, I don't know I guess you just know a lot about them."

"well I've always loved them, but I don't know what'll end up happening next year," she said with a shrug.

Charlie pulled Ara closer to him, kissing her once more "you could come with me, we only have dragons, but they are truly amazing creatures."

"I want to take you on a real date," he said after another brief moment.

Ara snorted "A real date?" she asked.

"yes… you know, a candle lit dinner at a fancy restaurant where we sit and flirt and laugh and then we go for a walk afterwards and have a really meaningful conversation."

Ara smiled, she could tell he was serious and she had never really been on that kind of a date. When she had been with people before 'dating' consisted of sitting together in class and going to meals together.

"well alright then… only," she hesitated briefly. She didn't want to hurt his feelings, but the idea of being seen with him in public frightened her.

"we'll go to the muggle world," Charlie said as though he could read her mind.

"what?" she asked, while she knew quite a bit about the muggle world, she hadn't ever really been there.

"It's alright that you don't want people to know we're together, so we'll go somewhere that your family would never go," he said with a smirk.

Ara laughed "if they knew I was in the muggle world – "

"If they knew you were in the muggle world with a blood traitor they wouldn't let you hear the end of it, but they'll never know."

Ara didn't respond, but instead leaned forward and kissed him. If he was willing to go through the trouble, she was too.

* * *

It was the first day of the holidays and people were beginning to rush to ask people to the Yule Ball. The castle was filled with festivities and Ara could barely withhold her awe at the sight of the castle with large trees and floating candles. It was truly spectacular.

Ara knew she was waiting too long, she still didn't have a date. It wasn't that she couldn't get one, several people had asked her, but they weren't people who she wanted to go with, well truly she wanted to go with Charlie, but that couldn't happen.

So she was left, resigning herself to accepting the next invitation. She'd rather just go alone, but she knew she needed to open the dance with a partner.

"so, are you going to the dance with anyone?" Ara asked Connor, knowing deep down that he had a date.

Connor sighed and rubbed his face "I would have gone with you if you had asked sooner," he said.

"I know," Ara said dejectedly "I just…"

"Was hoping that you could go with your boyfriend," he sounded bitter when he said it, much to Ara's surprise.

"I – I didn't think you'd be upset… we were just – "

Connor laughed "I'm not mad that you are with someone. You will always be my best friend and we both knew the friends with benefits was only temporary," he said.

"oh," she chuckled "You just seemed upset."

"I'm upset you haven't told me who you are sneaking around with," he said plainly with a small glare that held no real venom.

Ara glanced around the room, ensuring no one could hear "Charlie Weasley," she whispered.

Connor frowned "like the dragon tamer?" he asked.

Ara nodded and Connor looked surprised. "isn't he old?"

Ara rolled her eyes "he's only two years older than us."

"Oh, well why does that need to be such a big secret?" he asked.

Ara sighed, she loved her friend, but he didn't always understand what it meant to be a Lestrange.

"the Weasley's are one of the biggest blood traitor families in England."

He grimaced sympathetically, understanding why her family may be a bit upset about that information.

"Well now that you've filled me in on your secret, would you like me to tell you my big news?" Connor asked.

Ara frowned, she hadn't realized that Connor was hiding anything, then again, she supposed she spent all her free time with Charlie or researching the egg, she hadn't spent much time with her friends.

"who are you taking to the dance?" she asked.

Connor smiled "Kara," he said without hesitation.

"my god Connor, it only took you six years," she said with a laugh. He never admitted it, choosing instead to spend his time with Ara and Anna, but Ara could always tell he had a soft spot for the girl.

Connor nodded "I figured you had a date," he said.

Ara smiled "Well I'm glad I didn't ask you sooner," she said. "If I had you would have gone with me instead of going with someone you are actually interested in."

Connor nodded "but who are you going to go with?"

Ara shrugged "does Viktor have a date?"

Connor nodded a look of astonishment appearing on his face "he asked that friend of Harry's, the bushy haired one…"

"Hermione?" she asked, shocked. "she's fourteen!"

Connor nodded and shrugged "don't ask me, he likes her a lot."

Ara shook her head "I feel like I don't know you guys at all anymore."

"That's what happens when you ignore us and keep secrets."

* * *

Ara glanced at her closet once more. She had been opening and closing both her closet and Anna's for the better part of thirty minutes. She hadn't experienced this before. While she didn't particularly like admitting it, she had an excellent wardrobe for a young witch. Her Uncle would never have her dressed in cheap clothing and they always ensured that she had enough. She was a pureblood for goodness sakes.

She sighed closing the closet and plopping down onto her bed. This was a new problem, what to wear. She wasn't nervous per say, but she didn't know what to wear in a muggle town on a muggle date. She knew she couldn't wear robes, but what did they generally wear on a date at a nice restaurant?

She thought about asking around on the ship, but she didn't know of any muggle born students. While it wasn't entirely condemned, it wasn't encouraged. Her headmaster was a previous Death Eater after all.

She figured she could at least look through the library. She headed in that direction, not paying much attention to where she was going. She knew she was smiling to herself, but she didn't much care. She was simply looking forward to her date.

Ara gasped, stopping in her tracks and taking a step back. She had nearly ran into McGonagall as she was exiting a classroom.

"Miss Lestrange, do watch where you are going," she said briskly her mouth formed into a thin line.

"I am sorry Professor," she said politely.

"It's alright, you didn't knock me over," she said before leaving without another word.

"Ara," came another voice from just within the classroom. "How are you?" Lily asked.

"I'm alright, thanks," she said leaning against the door.

She looked inside and found a variety of items she had never seen before. Many were oddly shaped and had long cord like things dangling from them. There were also many books on shelves along the walls.

"Is this your classroom?" she asked, remembering that Lily taught muggle studies.

"It is, would you like to come in?" she asked, moving to the side and gesturing her inside.

"Sure," Ara said, walking into the room and looking at the books on the wall closest to her. She didn't recognize any of them, not that she was an avid reader. Some of them sounded like children's stories, such as 'Peter Rabbit' and 'James and the Giant Peach,' Other however, sounded like nothing she had ever heard of. 'Rapunzel' and 'Cinderella' sounded more like curse words than children stories.

"They're children's books, for muggles," she said. Ara turned to face her, she was leaning against her desk, a small smile on her face.

"Rapunzel?" She asked, it certainly didn't sound like a children's book.

"It's the name of a princess who was locked away in a tower for years by her mother… She had incredibly long hair and when her prince came to save her, he had to climb her hair to get into the tower," she said.

Ara frowned "is it a true story?"

Lily laughed and shook her head "no, it's just a fairytale, although there may have been some truth behind it," she said.

Ara nodded, glancing around the rest of the room, taking in what could only be muggle items.

"Would you like some tea?" Lily asked.

"Sure," Ara said smiling, "Tea sound lovely."

Ara took the offered seat in the front of the classroom. She was slightly surprised when Lily took the seat next to her instead of sitting behind her desk like so many other professor's.

"So where were you headed that you nearly ran over Minerva McGonagall?" she asked with a small laugh.

"Oh, the library," she said simply, looking down at the steaming cup of tea in her hands.

"Were you looking for Krum?" she asked.

Ara looked up, Lily's eyes were green as ever, but there was a hard look behind them.

"No, not Viktor… Why's that?"

Lily shrugged taking a long sip of tea "Harry's friend is quite fond of him and there were a couple of girls who told her she wouldn't stand a chance next to you."

Ara frowned "Who said that?" She asked trying to keep the anger out of her voice.

Lily shrugged again "A couple of Durmstrang students."

Ara sighed and rolled her eyes "They're just jealous… I was rather – erm – effective at keeping girls away from Viktor while we were at school… you see he's famous and most people only like him because of his status as an international seeker… He's far more like a brother and I get a _bit_ protective."

Lily smiled at her as she explained, the hard look softening.

"I can assure you that if he asked Hermione to the ball, he is genuinely interested… Otherwise he would have asked me or gone alone," she said, grimacing at how arrogant it sounded.

"All I mean is – "

"it's alright," she said "I understand, I just wanted to check. Her parents are so far away and as Harry's her best friend, I feel a bit – responsible."

Ara nodded "plus you don't really know him…" She said, taking another gulp of tea. "He actually reminds me a bit of Harry; quiet, funny, and doesn't like attention."

Lily nodded, but grimaced. "Harry might have been different if he had been famous for something like Quidditch… I'm afraid being famous for defeating Voldemort isn't something he's proud of, especially considering the circumstances," she trailed off at the end, but Ara knew what she meant.

Ara looked down, the feeling of guilt stirring in her stomach.

"He could still be famous for quidditch someday," she said, quieter than she intended, causing Lily to look up and look at her intently. "Draco tells me he's an excellent seeker," she said with a small laugh.

"Draco said that?" Lily asked not believing a word.

Ara snorted "well he said that Harry's a stupid idiot who cheated to catch the snitch, but I gathered that he was rather good and not a cheater."

Lily laughed, her eyes twinkling. "that sounds more like it."

Ara looked out the window and knew she would need to get ready soon. She glanced back at Lily and around her office "Would you mind… helping me with something?" she asked, deciding that Lily could probably keep a secret.

"Sure," Lily said, setting down her empty cup.

"I'm going… on a date and I'm not sure what to wear," she said quietly, fidgeting uncomfortably.

Lily frowned.

Ara sighed "I know what you're thinking, how can the great Ara Lestrange who owns clothes by the top designers in England, America, and Bulgaria possibly need help with fashion," she had a small smile on her face and was hoping that Lily recognized her sarcasm.

It appeared she did by the look on her face. She wore an amused glance. "And where would this date be?" she asked.

Ara shrugged "somewhere in the muggle world?" she said quietly, almost afraid someone would hear.

Lily's eyes lit up with surprise and happiness. "You're going to the muggle world? With who?" she asked.

Ara was reminded that while Lily was a mother, she was still quite young.

Ara shook her head "I can't say."

Lily's look turned to one of contemplation. "that boy with all the muscles?" she asked "no that can't be it," she said before Ara could respond. "you'd have no reason for hiding a date with him."

"Is it with a muggle?" she asked. Ara could tell that she was playing around, but truly curious at the same time.

"no, he's a wizard and a pure blood at that," she said, she grimaced when she saw lily's smile falter. She was a muggle born.

"If I were to fall in love with a muggle, that would be fine, I really truly don't care about blood purity," she insisted. She couldn't explain her desire to stay in Lily's good graces, but she wanted Lily to like her.

"honestly, I swear it, I – "

"Ara," Lily said grabbing her hand "I know that deep down you don't really care about blood purity… it was just the way you were raised," she said. "Why are you hiding it if he's a pureblood?" she asked.

Ara sighed, she shouldn't tell her. She didn't know her too well, but she did trust her. She trusted all of the Potters, she was just worried that she trusted them more than she should.

"My family doesn't approve of his, he's a 'blood traitor'" she said adding the quotation marks. "plus Uncle Lucius despises his father," she added and grimaced as Lily's eyes widened in realization.

"It's a Weasley!" she said.

Ara shook her head "why would you guess that? It could be loads of people, my uncle hates loads of people."

"well, I don't doubt that," a smirk spread across her face "but you said he was a pure blood and a blood traitor and well the Weasley's are the biggest blood traitor families in England and the only ones that you've been exposed to in the last month," she said as though she had just solved some great mystery. Ara was reminded that she had been the smartest witch in her year.

"Alright, yes it's a Weasley," she said in a hushed voice before turning serious. "Please don't tell anyone Lily… I mean _anyone,_ if it were to get out, well…" She grimaced.

Lily's smirk turned to a kind smile "It'll stay between me and you," she said softly. "You can trust us," she insisted, much like her husband.

Ara nodded "Thanks."

Lily frowned "now which Weasley is it? Is it one of the twins?" She asked.

Ara wrinkled her nose, she didn't know the twins too well, but they were a tad too out there for her tastes, she would rather be friends with them than date one of them.

Lily leaned in closer, her previous smirk returning "is it Ron?" she asked.

Ara laughed "god no… Nothing against him, he's just a tad young."

Lily shrugged "well your friend Viktor is interested in our young Hermione."

Ara nodded "yes but Hermione is mature while Ron is well not," she grimaced "besides he hates Draco more than Harry does and I could never be with someone who hated my cousin so much."

There was something behind Lily's smile that she couldn't quite place, admiration? Respect maybe?

"well then it must be Charlie," there was a knowing look in her eye, a look that only a mother could pull off.

Ara smiled a blush spreading across her cheeks. "It started after the first task, when we got back from Hogsmeade I ran into him at the lake and one thing lead to another and well now he's taking me on a date to the muggle world."

Lily sighed "Are you serious about him?" she asked.

Ara frowned at the change in demeanor "I'm not sure… I'm not going to hurt him if that's what you think," she said defensively.

"no, that's not it," Lily said quickly grabbing Ara's hand once more. "I'm not worried about Charlie, he's a grown man who can take care of himself… he's just a bit of a player and I don't want _you_ to get hurt." She finished quickly.

Ara felt her heart drop slightly but reminded herself that _she_ was also a bit of a player. "I don't know how I feel, but truthfully, I've never really been in a real relationship, so I can't really blame him for being a player," she shrugged.

Lily smiled "well then… Let's go get you ready," she said, jumping to her feet.

"oh no, I can just transfigure some clothes, I just don't know what they should look like."

Lily shook her head "don't be silly dear, I've plenty of clothes and transfigured clothes don't look nearly as good as real ones."

Ara smiled "well thanks then," she said before standing and following Lily.

They made their way to Lily's living quarters, Ara was grateful that they didn't run into anyone who she'd rather not see.

"The boys are gone," she said when they were in the empty living quarters. "they went to do some last-minute Christmas shopping, so it's just us."

She led Ara into her bedroom. It was decent size, there was a large bed and two small chairs in the corner next to the large double window that overlooked the grounds. While she didn't think teaching suited her in the slightest, she did see the appeal in living at Hogwarts.

The closet seemed to be filled with mostly female clothes and there was a small section of male clothes. It was opposite in her aunts and uncles' closet, of course there's was much larger, but Uncle Lucius had all of the clothes.

Lily made her try on various outfits and while she didn't particularly like all the clothing, some of it was nice looking. She kept asking Lily if it was normal to have so little clothing. In the end she decided on tights and a short gray dress that was rather low cut.

Lily helped her with her makeup making it far bolder than she would ever wear it. She found in the end that she actually liked her outfit, even if she looked like a muggle.

James and Sirius had walked in just prior to Ara's leaving. They both looked pleasantly surprised to see her there and did double takes as they realized she was wearing muggle clothing.

"and where are you off to dressed like a muggle?" Sirius asked with a proud smile on his face.

Ara shrugged "nowhere in particular," she turned back to Lily "Thank you so much, I owe you one."

Lily smiled and pulled Ara into a hug "have an amazing time," she said quietly.

Ara turned back and found that Sirius was frowning "Honestly, where are you going?"

Ara scoffed "why does it matter?"

"because you look nice,"

"Well thank you but that doesn't help me understand why it matters."

Sirius frowned "it looks like you're going on a date," he said, his jaw tight.

Ara rolled her eyes "okay yes I'm going on a date and I will see you another time."

She made to leave, but Sirius grabbed her arm and pulled her back "who are you going with?" he asked.

Ara gave him a confused smile "Does it matter?"

"yes it matters," he said passionately "he's probably a jerk who doesn't deserve you… you know I really don't think you should date until your thirty."

Ara scoffed "good Lord, what are you, my father?"

Sirius frowned "well no, but your father certainly isn't doing his job and as Lord Black it is up to me to make sure you are well cared for," he finished.

Ara was touched and a little taken aback by his statement. "While I appreciate the sentiment you do realize I would need two hands to count the number of people I've been with?"

Sirius frown deepened "I don't believe it… Not my sweet innocent little Ara."

Ara snorted "I'm a Black," she reminded him "how innocent are most Blacks? Were you innocent at my age Sirius?"

James and Lily laughed at the suggestion that Sirius was innocent.

Ara sighed and patted him on the shoulder "I'll tell you who it is" with a snap of her fingers she vanished Sirius and James' ears so that they couldn't hear her as she mumbled the name.

Lily laughed, and Ara waved goodbye before leaving them to figure out how to undo the spell.

* * *

Ara and Charlie were finally able to sneak out of the castle. They made their way through a tunnel that led through a store in Hogsmeade. When Ara asked Charlie how he knew about the tunnel, he vaguely responded with "the Marauders," but didn't offer up any more information saying that it wasn't his secret to tell.

Charlie apparated the two of them to London where he made reservations. The place had lights everywhere, strung together with wire. After dinner, Charlie took her to see a movie. It was then that Ara became truly amazed with Muggles and the things that they were able to do without magic.

"It's like a really long picture that tells an entire story," she said as they were walking down the London street.

Charlie was nodding and smiling beside her, clearly enjoying her excitement.

"I mean so many wizards are adamant that they have nothing to do with muggles, but we could make some truly amazing things if we combined efforts…"

They made it back to Hogwarts well past midnight.

"I had an amazing night," Ara said with a fond smile.

"I did too," he said, pulling her closer and giving her small kisses on her face.

"I have to tell you something" Ara said before things got too far. She had waited long enough, he needed to know.

"yes?"

"I have a date to the Yule Ball," she said quietly.

Charlie paused and pulled back. He seemed upset but understanding about the situation. "I get it… It's alright."

Ara shook her head "I'm not interested at all, I just have to dance with him at the beginning."

"Honestly, its fine. We aren't ready to go public so it's not exactly like I can take you," he said.

"right," she said sadly. She appreciated that he made it seem like it was his decision as well, even though she knew that if she said she wanted to be public, he'd have no problem with it.

"Who are you going with?" he asked.

"Noah… Birch," she said. He was a Slytherin 7th year. She didn't know him well but knew that he was friends with Rosier.

"what?" Charlie asked pulling away "You can't go with Birch."

Ara frowned at the abrupt change in tone "what do you mean I can't go with Birch?"

"He's a horrible person," Charlie said plainly.

Ara frowned and look disbelieving "do you know him?"

"I know of him."

"So you don't know him, you're just listening to what others say about him," she said, irritated.

Charlie shook his head "it's not like that Ara, he had a horrible reputation when I was in school and he's two years younger than me."

"Well maybe he's changed," she said with a shrug.

"Why are you so adamant that I'm wrong?" Charlie asked.

"It was set up by a friend of mine and he trusts Birch, so why shouldn't I?"

"what friend?" he asked surprised.

"Edwin… Rosier."

Charlie looked even more surprised and grimaced.

"What? Is Edwin bad for me as well?" she asked sharply.

Charlie shook his head, he clearly didn't want to argue with her. "They just don't have good reputations… they don't care about people."

Ara scoffed "I don't have a good reputation either. Or did you not read the article about me in the Daily Prophet? People jump at the sight of me and everyone looks at my ankle to see if I really have a bracelet with charms on it for each person I've murdered. Do you believe those rumors?" she asked coldly.

"Of course not," Charlie said grabbing her shoulders. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be so quick to judge them, I don't know Rosier at all, other than that his parents were Death Eaters. But Birch hurt a friend of mine," he said softly.

Ara sighed at the now silent Charlie. She didn't want to fight with him. She didn't have the same relationship with these people as he did. The truth was, they were probably all dangerous to someone who wasn't one of them.

"look, you don't need to worry about me. We'll be in a large group and I'm only doing the first dance with Birch, then I'll go and dance with my friends."

Charlie nodded "you can't go with Connor? Or Krum?" he asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.

Ara shook her head "They both have dates. Believe me, I tried."

Charlie nodded "well I'm chaperoning anyway, so if Birch becomes a dick I'll simply kill him," he said.

Ara was taken aback by the abruptness in his voice, she laughed.

"Alright, it's a deal."

* * *

It was Christmas eve and Ara was walking along the bank of the black lake, holding tightly to her golden egg. She still hadn't figured out what the second task was. She was at a loss, she didn't know what the screaming meant or if the screaming was even a clue. Maybe she had to get the screaming to stop in order figure out what it was.

"You do know it's Christmas Eve right?"

Ara didn't flinch, but she turned around quickly.

"I swear you are silent when you walk… We need to attach bells to you so we can hear you when you move," she said exasperated.

Sirius laughed and moved up to stand next to Ara. "How was your date last night?" he asked with a small glare on her face that was likely a result of her prank.

Ara smiled "lovely, we went and saw a movie," she said. "Have you ever been to a movie? It's like a picture that tells a whole story," she said, still clutching her egg tightly and staring at the ship sitting in the Black Lake.

Sirius laughed "yes, I remember when James took me to see one, it was truly amazing… Muggles are quite talented." Sirius sighed "So why is it that you are out here all alone when you should be with friends?"

Ara shrugged and lifted up the egg. "I don't know what the bloody hell it means," she said "but let me tell you I'm nearly ready to chuck into the black lake."

Sirius grimaced "Yeah I'm afraid I can't help you… I don't know what it means either. It kind of sounds like your mother actually, she would screech like that whenever I got her wet," he said with a small smile and what may have been a fond memory.

Ara wasn't paying much attention to that however; a thought had just struck her. "She would make the noise when you got her wet," she repeated. She could remember reading it somewhere, but she wasn't sure where.

"I'm kidding Ara it was more of a bunch of swearing and throwing things…"

Ara looked back at the black lake and it was then that she remembered, mermaids. She smiled largely and ran up to Sirius, giving him a quick hug, before running towards the black lake, ignoring his shock.

She didn't even hesitate, but went into the water, the egg held tightly in her hand, until she was deep enough that she could submerge herself and the egg. She took a deep breath and when underwater she opened the egg to hear not screeching, but rather a beautiful voice.

 _'Come seek us where our voices sound,_  
 _We cannot sing above the ground,_  
 _And while you're searching, ponder this:_  
 _We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_  
 _An hour long you'll have to look,_  
 _And to recover what we took,_  
 _But past an hour – the prospect's black_  
 _Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.'_

She felt a hand on her arm that pulled her upwards.

"What on earth are you doing?" Sirius asked, completely wet from the waist down, having followed her in.

Ara smiled at him "mermaids!" she shouted. "Are there mermaids in the black lake?" she asked, ignoring the chill that was beginning to spread up her spine and being in the freezing cold lake in the middle of December.

Sirius shrugged "I don't know, I suppose it's possible."

Ara nodded enthusiastically. Her mind was whirling she knew the task must have to do with mermaids… what was the phrase? 'we cannot sing above the ground.'

She turned away from Sirius, the egg still held tightly in her hand, without warning she went down into the chilly water once more.

 _An hour long you'll have to look, to recover what we took._

"Good lord Ara would you stop doing that?" Sirius asked when Ara popped back up above the surface of the water. He grabbed her arm and started pulling her towards the surface bank.

When they reached land, Ara grabbed Sirius' hand and began running towards the castle.

"Where's Harry?" she asked excitedly.

"He's having dinner with his parents," he said, running to keep up with Ara.

Ara ran in the direction of the Potter's living quarters. When she reached the portrait of the young girl she started knocking on the door.

"Ara," Sirius said breathlessly. He touched his wand to the door and it opened, the young girl waving excitedly at the two of them.

Ara ran in, all politeness forgotten. The Potters were sitting around the dinner table and much to Ara's surprise they weren't alone, but they were joined by a large group of Weasleys.

"I'm so sorry," Ara said, suddenly realizing that she was dripping water all over their living area.

"you're soaking," Lily said quickly, jumping up to get Ara some towels.

"Oh no Lily, don't worry about it," she said before waving her wand and drying off.

"Soooo" James said dragging on the word "What have you two been up to?" he asked, a smirk forming on his face.

Sirius laughed and shrugged "I was outside and found this lunatic running into the Black Lake."

Ara shot him a glare with no real heat behind it. "Well lunacy does run in the family," she said glancing down at his still wet pants.

James snorted and clapped his friend on the shoulder "she's got you there mate."

Sirius rolled his eyes and took out his wand to dry his pants.

"So what brings you here?" Lily asked, pulling up a couple of chairs to the table.

"Oh, I don't want to intrude," she said waving away the invite to sit and taking a step back towards the door.

"you're not intruding," Harry said, reminding Ara why she had ran all this distance in the first place.

Ara smiled and took a seat at the table, Sirius sitting beside her.

"So Ara you know Ron obviously, I don't know if you've ever met his younger sister Ginny," James said, motioning to a young red-headed girl who offered a small smile before looking at her plate. "This is Fred and George" he said motioning towards two twins "I believe you met Charlie at the Quidditch World Cup, but he was also one of the dragon handler's in the first task," James said motioning towards Charlie.

Ara glanced at Charlie, unsure if they should mention that they do in fact know each other, but when she made eye contact with him and saw him smirking, she decided against it, unsure of what he was thinking.

"and this is Molly and Arthur," James finished motioning to the two older Weasleys.

Ara knew she shouldn't be nervous, she had met Arthur before, but she had the strange sensation that she was meeting her boyfriend's parents… she shook her head, she wasn't even sure if Charlie was her boyfriend.

"We met at the World Cup as well," Arthur said "you helped us with the tent."

"Yes of course, it's a pleasure to officially meet you all," are said with a small glance to Charlie who was still smirking.

There was an awkward silence that went around the room, Ara was certain that the Weasleys were uncomfortable, she knew how they felt about her uncle and with the article in mind, they would be hesitant to say anything. She felt bad, she really didn't want to ruin their Christmas Eve.

"So Ara do you have a date to the dance?" Lily asked with a knowing smile sending a quick glance towards Charlie who stiffened at the question, his smirk falling.

"I do," Ara said "My friend Edwin set me up with one of his friends," she said simply, not wanting to divulge who she was going with, worried the others shared the same view as Charlie.

"Your friends with Rosier?" Sirius asked.

Ara nodded "I've known him forever… He used to spend time with us during the summers," she said simply.

"Is that the guy you've been sneaking around with?" Sirius asked with a frown.

Ara glanced quickly at Charlie, "um… no."

"That's not the guy who took you on the date last night?" James asked around a mouth full of food.

Ara shook her head, looking down at the glass in her hands. She took a drink, glancing around the table. They were all looking at her intently other than Lily who was smirking and Charlie who was looking incredibly pleased with himself.

"So you're dating a guy _and_ taking a different guy to the Yule Ball?" Sirius asked.

"Yes, that pretty much sums it up," she said simply.

"Why not just take the guy you're seeing?" Charlie asked innocently.

Ara glared at him "well… It would be a scandal and I'm currently avoiding unwanted attention."

Lily laughed, ignoring the glares sent to her by James and Sirius who both clearly knew she was keeping a secret.

She glanced at Harry who was frowning. She nudged him in the side "what's wrong?"

Harry shrugged "They're going to lie and make up stuff anyways… why not do what you really want?"

He would understand more than most, but he still didn't understand.

She shrugged in response. It wasn't that simple. It wasn't simply bad publicity it was family drama and reputation.

The conversation turned to more pleasant topics. After a while they went into the living room where everyone spread out. Ara tried to leave once more, not wanting to intrude on their Christmas Eve, but Lily and Sirius insisted that she stay. She smiled at the sight that everyone made. It was clear how close they all were. She could admit that she was envious. While she loved her friends and close family, their gatherings were never like this. They were stiff and proper and everyone trying to outdo the other.

Charlie was battling against Ron in a game of wizards chess, Lily and Molly had broken off in the kitchen to clean and chat, Fred and George were sitting at a small table in the corner, their heads pressed together whispering about something, and Sirius, James, Remus, and Arthur were talking seriously about something.

"Dumbledore says there's a storm coming," Ara heard Arthur say under his breath as she approached.

"He's probably right… Weird things have been happening for three years, but this year is stranger than ever what with Harry being entered in the tournament and the Dark Mark being seen."

James was tense, he had his arms folded across his body "It's more than that… Harry's been having nightmares of sorts… of Voldemort," he said quietly.

Ara took a step back, she felt guilty that she was listening in to a conversation that she probably shouldn't be.

Arthur cleared his throat, staring directly at her. She smiled guiltily as the others turned around. They smiled in response, but the conversation quieted down instantly.

"Death Eaters have marks on their arms," she began quietly. "they disappeared when the Dark Lord fell, well now they are coming back… he's getting stronger" she all but whispered. She knew it was information she shouldn't share, but she felt she owed it to them. Plus they already seemed to be thinking along the same lines as her.

"How do you know that?" Sirius asked.

Ara shrugged "I saw Karkaroff's once when his sleeve had fallen up. Plus, he was desperately trying to corner Severus, he's afraid of that he'll die if you-know-who returns."

The men frowned at the information "well that's just lovely" Sirius said sarcastically. He threw his arm around Ara who tensed only briefly. "Should he return, well, you can come live with me," he said with a charming smile.

Ara's eyes widened at the suggestion. She knew what he was doing, he was offering her a home away from home. He was giving her a way away from the Death Eaters. He was giving her another destiny.

It was then that the realization struck her "he's going to try to recruit me as a Death Eater," she whispered so quietly that only James and Sirius could hear her.

"We won't let him," Sirius said, pulling Ara into a hug and kissing the side of her head. Ara wasn't used to the affection, but she welcomed it.

"Is everything alright?" Charlie asked as Ara pulled away from Sirius.

"Of course," she said quickly.

Ara noticed James and Arthur look at him curiously out of the corner of her eyes, but neither of them said anything.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" Charlie asked with a charming smile. "Just about that dragon you faced in the first task," he added hoping that would answer other people's questions.

"Sure," she said following him to the corner of the room far enough from listening ears.

"Do you think they would know we were together if I just started snogging you?" he asked a goofy smile plastered onto his face.

Ara snorted "it would probably give us away."

"Probably," he repeated glancing down at his shoes. "what are you doing in the morning?"

She shrugged "I'll probably go to the Slytherin common room later in the day to see Draco, but I don't really have plans. I usually just lay about in my room and eat the poisonous chocolate from all of my admirers."

Charlie looked up quickly "what?" he asked.

Ara shrugged "I just lay about… isn't that what most people do on Christmas day?"

Charlie snorted "not what I meant… the poisonous chocolate?"

"ohhhh" Ara said dragging out the word "well there were a couple of years when people hated the daughter of Bellatrix Lestrange and they wanted to kill her, so they sent her poisonous chocolate… I was rather young when it happened, but I expect that with the article about me and my mother, I can expect some more chocolate."

Charlie reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, close to her neck, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb "I'll eat whatever chocolate you eat so that we can be like Romeo and Juliet."

Ara frowned "who are they?"

He gave her a loving smile, a smile that almost suggested she was naïve. "It's a muggle story about these two people who aren't supposed to be together, but they love each other so one kills themselves and the other kills himself out of grief."

"That's horrible!" Ara said "I would never want you to kill yourself if I died… and truthfully I wouldn't kill myself if I couldn't be with you."

Charlie laughed "I sure hope not."

The kitchen door open just as Charlie was brushing Ara's hair off her shoulder. They both jumped apart at the yell of "Charlie!"

"Mum?" he asked calmly.

"Oh, erm…. Come help me with the tea," Molly said quickly, holding out the tray she was holding full of cups of steaming liquid.

"Alright," he said winking at Ara and taking the tray from his mother.

Lily walked over to Ara as Charlie was handing out the mugs of Hot Cocoa.

"How did you date go last night?" she asked.

Ara glanced quickly at the room, grateful to see everyone immersed in other conversations, the younger kids bidding goodbye and heading back to their dorms. "It was great, we went to a movie, which was spectacular… he's great," she said, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

"He seems to like you a lot," Lily said, glancing at Charlie who was talking animatedly with Harry.

"He's so odd," Ara added, also staring at Charlie. "He gets on so well with everyone, he's charming, handsome, has a dangerous job…He loves his family – but he's single."

Lily nodded her eyes now glued to Ara.

Ara looked down uncomfortably, taking a sip of her steaming cocoa. "What?" She asked when Lily didn't stop staring at her.

"I don't know," she said honestly. "you just seem…"

"Crazy?" she asked with a smirk.

Lily shook her head "familiar."

Ara smiled "James said the same thing… well he said I reminded him of his mum."

Lily nodded a look of realization coming to her face "you do remind me of Euphoria… Maybe that's it."

Ara shrugged.

"Well anyways," Lily began "you and Charlie are similar in that. You both get on well with everyone, you are both charming, you are beautiful, and you're odd," she said smirking at Ara before turning and walking towards her husband.

"Lily, do you mind if I use your restroom?" she asked quickly, catching up with Lily.

"Of course not darling, it's right through that door," she said, pointing at the middle door in their small living area.

Ara thanked her and went into the restroom. As she washed her hands in the sink she felt squirming in her stomach. She was growing to really care for this family and that thought scared her. She truly enjoyed being around all of them. While she understood that money and power were great, she found the feeling of family so much more enjoyable… Maybe that's because she was born with money and power.

As she reached for the doorknob the voices from the next side of the door. She pressed her ear against it, casting a quick spell that allowed her to hear better. As she listened her smile dropped to a frown.

"She's a Lestrange!" Molly Weasley said, trying to keep her voice quiet.

"Why the bloody hell does that matter?" Sirius asked passionately. "I'm a Black, her mother is my first cousin… the one who will inherit everything once I die if I don't name an heir… I'm not evil in the slightest," he said almost daring her to disagree.

"but you are different," she insisted.

"So is she," he said.

"Look Molly, you don't know her at all," Lily cut across. "I really truly understand your hesitation, but she has a good heart."

"And what about that article?"

"You can't believe a word of that Skeeter woman," Lily said angrily "look at what she said about Harry and you can't honestly believe a word of that?"

"Well no –"

"So then why would you believe what she wrote about Ara?"

There was a pause in the conversation and Ara realized that her grip on the door was so tight it was painful. Letting go, she saw the red marks the doorknob left on her hand.

"It's more than just being the daughter of the Lestranges, she was raised by the Malfoys. Each and every one of them are rotten to the core."

Ara couldn't hold back the scoff, while she could understand the statement made towards her uncle, her aunt and Draco were great people.

"Mum, they aren't that bad either –"

"Don't you dare start Charlie Weasley! Don't think I didn't see the way that you looked at her. She probably has all of you under some sort of a spell, maybe you're all confounded."

Ara couldn't stop herself, she flung open the door, slamming it behind her. Glancing around the room she was grateful to see that the younger students were gone.

The room went silent at her presence.

" _Egritu_ is a spell, have you heard of it?" Ara asked Molly coldly.

"Listen Ara –"

"My name is _Lestrange,_ given that you and I are not friends I ask that you call me Miss Lestrange. Now have you heard of the spell?"

"Now listen here –" Molly began, offense written all over her face.

"It's a diagnostic charm that has the ability to test whether or not a person has a spell placed on them, that includes the confundus charm… If you'd like to check for a love potion, well you can always test the blood, now if you'll excuse me, I have other places I can spend my Christmas Eve that won't wait til my back is turned to stab it."

She turned to leave before remembering why she had come in the first place. She turned towards Lily and James, they each wore odd expressions. James was grimacing while Lily looked sad, sending Molly angry glances every now and then.

"Tell Harry to hold the egg under water… Happy Christmas," she said plainly before turning an leaving the room.

When she was outside of the room, she closed the portrait behind her and turned to look at the small girl in the picture. The feeling of guilt filled her stomach once more and Ara reminded herself that she didn't belong with these people, that she was too different and that some people would never see past her family. She couldn't stop the tears as they spilled down her face. With one last glance at the girl she turned and left down the hallway, wiping her face roughly as she walked.

"Ara stop," she could hear Charlie calling her, but she didn't want to turn around. Didn't want to face him. She had been rather horrible to his mother after all.

"Please Ara," he said again this time grabbing her arm and turning her to look at them.

She tried to hide her face, but was unsuccessful. He took a deep breath staring at her face and she mentally prepared herself for the mess that she had created.

"I'm so sorry," he said softly.

Ara look at him surprised "what?"

"She's not usually that horrible," he said with a grimace at his mother's behavior.

"I thought you'd be mad at me," she said "for what I said to her."

Charlie offered her a small smile, wiping the remaining tears off her face. "while I wish you and my mother hit it off right away, I know that she'll take time… and I understand why you're angry. She was out of line."

Ara looked down until she felt hands bury their way into her hair and she felt herself pulled tightly against Charlie. After a moment Charlie pulled back just enough to see her face and touched his lips to hers, softly at first until Ara gave in and the kiss turned needy.

* * *

"Ara…. Ara?" the voice was soft as fingers gradually rubbed soothing circles on her back and then on her waste, hovering briefly over the place she knew her scar laid.

Her eyes opened quickly, she usually glamoured it, but wondered if it had fallen during the night.

"Who did this?" the voice that had once been soft became hard.

Ara looked back at Charlie and found anger in his eyes as they were glued onto the words written on her skin.

"Don't worry about it," she said quietly before waving her wand, so they disappeared once more. She sat up in the bed and leaned against the headboard.

Charlie looked at her intently "someone carved something into your skin," he said angrily.

Ara shrugged "it happened a long time ago, please let it go."

Charlie sighed before looking at the foot of the bed where presents sat and then back to Ara. "Alright, I'll drop it for today…" He trailed off and Ara knew that she was only postponing the conversation. She wasn't against telling him, but so few people knew that she wanted to be truly serious with Charlie before she told him.

"Happy Christmas Ara," he said kissing her softly on the lips


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

While the morning had been relaxing, as the day drew on, the calm buzz around the castle grew quicker and more excited. The only people in the halls were boys, while the girls flittered between dorms and bathrooms, getting ready for the rare event.

Ara kept her head down as she left Charlie's room in the late afternoon. She had spent too much time in the comfort of his arms and was left with only and hour and a half to get ready. She therefore walked as quickly as she could without drawing suspicion.

"Ara!" she nearly cringed at her name being called, but breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was only Fleur.

"will 'ou 'elp me?" she asked with a small grimace, Ara was surprised to see the usually confident girl now nervous.

She didn't wait for the response but pulled Ara into the bathroom. The bathrooom was large with stalls on one side, but across from the stalls was what truly impressed her, it was a large tub with hundreds of taps. She looked around the room and was surprised there weren't other students around.

Fleur smiled "Cedreec told me about zis room. Eet is ze prefects bazroom."

"makes sense," she said. "what's wrong?"

Fleur frowned and looked down at her hands "my dress does not fit," she pulled it out of the bag. when she looked up at Ara, Ara realized that it was about more than a dress being too big.

"I am too theen," she said with frustrated sigh. "I can't gain ze weight not matter 'ow 'ard I try," she said sadly.

Ara didn't entirely understand. She looked closer at Fleur and realized that while the girl was stunning, she was incredibly thin with her protruding collar bones.

"and I 'aven't been able to eat much lately because of ze tournament so I am theener zen normal."

Ara nodded and sent Fleur a sympathetic frown. She glanced at Fleur through the mirror where she was looking at herself. Fleur was brushing down her clothes, whether it was out of nervousness or to feel how thin she was, Ara wasn't sure. Ara then glanced at herself in the mirror next to Fleurs. It wasn't as if she was perfect either, but she had never really cared about her looks. Then again, weight had never been one of her problems. She frowned deep in thought, the problems that she experienced were with her skin. It wasn't silky or smooth or blemish free, but riddled with marks and scars. She supposed it was something she hid, she briefly remembered her shame when Charlie saw one of the scars earlier.

"Wait here for me," Ara said abruptly, causing Fleur to turn to her quickly.

Fleur frowned and briefly looked angry.

"I swear, i'll be right back," she said quickly, grabbing Fleurs arm reassuringly. When Fleur nodded, Ara left the bathroom and ran back to the ship, ignoring the call from Anna, and grabbing her dress. she turned and ran back to the castle, ignoring any onlookers. Instead of heading directly to the fifth floor, she ran to the first floor, knocking on the door with the little girl petting the deer. It was James who opened the door, he was already dressed in dress robes.

"Ara," he said with a large smile and Ara remembered that the last time she saw them was when she got angry at Charlie's mother. "come in," he moved to the side and Ara sent him a shaky smile before entering.

"Is Lily here?" she asked quickly.

"yeah she's just getting ready," he said before heading through their living room and to the bathroom. He knocked on the door "love, Ara's here."

The door opened and Lily's head popped out, she smiled brightly and motioned Ara over.

"Thanks," she said to James as she passed him and walked into the bathroom with Lily. Ara's eyes widened, Lily was stunning. She wore a full length dress of deep emerald green that had one strap on the top sparkles along the waist.

"You look amazing," Ara said.

"Thank you," Lily said with a confused smile "shouldn't you be getting ready?" she asked.

Ara remembered Fleur in the bathroom on the fifth floor and smiled guiltily "yes... I actually just came to see if I could borrow some makeup?"

"Of course," she said grabbing a bag off the counter and handing it to Ara.

"I'll bring it back," Ara said gratefully.

"No rush," she said as Ara backed out of the bathroom. "We'll see you tonight."

Ara thanked them and left their living quarters before breaking into a run, heading back up to the fifth floor, her arms full.

She knocked on the door "it's Ara," she said, loud enough for Fleur to hear.

There was a look of relief on Fleur's face at the sight of Ara.

"Well I had to get my dress too," Ara said at Fleur's questioning look.

"Alright, now take off your clothes and lets get you into your dress," Ara said firmly with a small smirk.

Fleur blushed "Quoi!"

Ara simply stared "well I don't speak French, but I'll assume you said 'alright Ara, i'll get right on that.'" she said, the smirk never leaving her face.

Fleur shook her head "Eet does not fit... and I don't parteecularly enjoy being naked in front of ze others."

Ara rolled her eyes "it's just me and you and I know it doesn't fit, but how am I going to take it in if I can't see how much to take in."

Fleur still looked hesitant, rubbing her hands along her clothes nervously.

Ara sighed looking at Fleur intently. "Can you keep a secret?" she asked hestiantly.

Fleur looked confused but nodded.

"I mean no matter what I tell you, what you learn you can't tell anybody."

"Are 'ou telling me zat you keeled someone?"

Ara rolled her eyes and shook her head "of course not."

"zen I swear eet. I will not tell anyone."

Ara hesitated, playing with the hem of her shirt. She really did trust Fleur, she considered it gut instinct. and her gut was usually right when it came to people, it was something she had learned to trust.

she lifted off her shirt, staring at the mirror until she was only in her underclothes.

Fleur hufffed "zis is it? your perfect body?"

Ara couldn't help it, she laughed "good lord Fleur, what makes you think i'm finished yet?"

Fleur rolled her eyes, but gave Ara a small smile.

Ara took a deep breath "Finite," she whispered, her eyes clench shut. she had to hold back the grimace when she opened her eyes and saw the scars and marks all over her body.

she peaked a glance at Fleur who was looking at her in shock, her hand covering her mouth.

"we all have things about us that we don't like, things we hide" Ara began, keeping her eyes away from the mirror. "I may not struggle with being too thin or too fat, but I wear a charm every time I go out so no one will see how horrible my skin is."

"'oo did zat to 'ou?"

Ara shook her head "it doesn't matter. It's long over with."

Ara fidgeted uncomfortably under Fleur's intense gaze. She was grateful when Fleur sighed and turned away, it meant she wouldn't ask more questions. Fleur lifted her shirt up over her head and undressed until she was in only her undergarments, like Ara.

Ara saw that Fleur was thin, she could see her collar bones and several ribs, but she didn't think she was unnaturally thin. She knew many people who strived to be as thin as Fleur.

"you're beautiful Fleur," Ara said honestly.

Fleur rolled her eyes, looking disdainfully at her reflection in the mirror."'ou are just zaying zat to make me feel better," she said. she pulled on her dress quickly and Ara pulled on her own slip.

Ara shook her head "no I'm not, and i'm not saying it because you're a Veela either. You're very pretty... "

Fleur gave her a small smile "I just want my dress to fit. zen i can work on gaining weight after ze dance."

The dress was large on Fleur, it was clear that she had lost a significant amount of weight since she tried it on the first time. Ara stared at Fleur in the mirror who was looking unhappily at herself.

"Do you mind if I change some things?" Fleur looked at her questioningly, but nodded her permission.

Ara turned Fleur around so that she was staring at her instead of the mirror. Fleur's gaze drifted down several times, Ara could feel them land on the scars that were still showing. She didn't like the staring, but she appreciated that Fleur didn't say anything.

Ara began working, pinching the dress and sewing it together with her wand making it hug Fleur's body in the right places. The main change she made, other than tightening the dress, was addding a deep v-neck that went well below her chest. She was small, so the look was flattering. She then took down Fleur's hair, using some of the products that Lily had given her to help give Fleur's naturally straight hair some wave. She then applied the makeup the way that she remembered Lily applying hers. She made sure Fleur had some blues to tie in the dress.

When she was finished, she turned Fleur around so she could look at herself in the mirror. Fleur's look turned to one of surprise.

"Mon Dieu!" she said looking at her reflection. She glanced at herself sideways and gave a satisfactory nod. "I still look theen, but zis is much better," she said, running her hand down the deep v-neck.

"you look amazing," Ara said to Fleur as the two of them stood side by side looking into the mirror.

Ara pulled on her own dress before doing her hair and make up, all while Fleur sat off to the side, looking as elegant as ever.

There was a knock on the door, which Fleur opened. Ara hid her scars quickly with a small flick of her wrist, but was still relieved to see that it was only Cedric.

"You two look amazing," he said with a charming smile. "I just came to check no Fleur, make sure you were okay," he said kindly.

Ara realized that it was likely Fleur had confided in Cedric as well.

"zank you Ced, I ran into Ara in ze 'allway." Fleur said with a large smile.

"So who are you taking tonight Cedric?" Ara asked as she finished her makeup and her hair.

"erm... Cho Chang... she's in Ravenclaw."

Ara nodded, she had never heard of her, then again that shouldn't be surprising considering she didn't know many people not in Slytherin. "how about you Fleur?" she asked realizing she hadn't asked the girl yet.

"'is name is Roger? Roger Davies I believe." she responded with a shrug.

Cedric snorted "I hope you are ready for an unintelligible evening."

Fleur smiled "is he dumb?" she asked, a little put out at the thought.

Cedric shook his head "he's in Ravenclaw, so definitely smart... but I also overheard that he doesn't make much sense when he talks about you."

Fleur sighed and rolled her eyes "some Boys... clearly i need to meet someone not affected by veelas."

Ara frowned sympathetically, patting Fleur on the arm "good luck with that."

"we should probably get going," Cedric said, staring through the window at the setting sun.

Ara and Fleur nodded and followed Cedric out of the bathroom. Cedric held out both arms, which the two girls grabbed hold of.

"All we're missing is little Harry," Cedric said with a frown.

"you know I don't think he likes being called 'little' Harry," Ara said with a smirk. "I mean honestly, he's a fourteen year old boy, becoming a man and his three competators call him 'little.'"

"That's not entirely true," Cedric said apologetically "you don't call him little."

Ara laughed "did you see him against the horntail? I don't exactly see him as little."

"you are right," Fleur said "we will not call him zat anymore."

They began walking down the large staircase leading to the entrance hall. Ara let go of Cedric's arm so she could hold up her dress.

Cedric frowned and turned his head to her, "who did you bring to the dance?" he asked quickly and quietly.

"Noah Birch," she said quietly, she saw him at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at her with a charming smile, one that made her stomach flutter.

"Be careful," Cedric said quickly, squeezing Ara's hand. "Come find us after the dance... we'll meet right here at midnight." he said to both of them, although his focus was on Ara. He seemed concerned. Ara briefly wondered if he really had that horrible of a reputation.

She nodded in agreement, it wasn't as though she was going to sleep with Birch anyway. She had a boyfriend after all.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, they each turned to their respective partners. Cedric smiled largely at Cho, a very pretty girl. Roger Davies did seem to melt into a puddle at the sight of Fleur, he could hardly string two words together when she approached.

Birch however had no such problem. "you look beautiful, i must be the luckiest person here tonight," he said softly, holding out his hand. When Ara grabbed it, he spun her around "you're dress is amazing.

Ara wasn't entirely sure how she felt about the dress. It was sent to her by her Aunt and while it was stunning, she felt that her family was trying to make a statement. The dress reached the floor, the front was tight around her chest with a deep V-neck, not quite as low cut as Fleurs, but still low. What was truly startling about the dress was the back. The back was entirely open except for a golden snakelike design that went straight up connecting to the straps at the top. She wore her hair in a small bun on the side, while she knew the snake design was for her uncle's benefit, she couldn't deny she loved the slithering creatures.

"You don't look so bad yourself," she said when she came to face him once more, resting her hand on his. Ara couldn't deny that he was certainly attractive with dark brown hair and shocking blue eyes. He wore tailored black dress robes that matched her dress well. She figured her Aunt must have had something to do with it.

It wasn't long before Ara caught a glimpse of the missing champion. Harry gave a shaky smile to Ara before his eyes roamed and glued onto Cedric's date.

 _Interesting..._ thought Ara.

They didn't have to wait long before Professor McGonagall's voice called, "Champions over here, please!"

Professor McGonagall, who was wearing dress robes of red tartan and had arranged a rather ugly wreath of thistles around the brim of her hat, told them to wait on one side of the doors while everyone else went inside; they were to enter the Great Hall in procession when the rest of the students had sat down. Fleur Delacour and her date stationed themselves nearest the doors; Fleur's date looked so stunned by his good fortune in having Fleur for a partner that he could hardly take his eyes off her. Ara and Birch stood next to Fleur and her date. They were soon followed by the other two contestants.

When the doors opened, they began their walk between towards the front of the room where they would eat with the Professors and judges. Ara felt breathless at the look of the Great Hall. The walls of the Hall had all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people.

Dumbledore smiled happily as the champions approached the top table. Ludo Bagman, tonight in robes of bright purple with large yellow stars, was clapping as enthusiastically as many of the students; and Madame Maxime, who had changed her usual uniform of black satin for a flowing gown of lavender silk, was applauding them politely.

But Mr. Crouch, Ara suddenly realized, was not there. The fifth seat at the table was occupied by someone who seemed looked much like the other Weasleys.

When the champions and their partners reached the table, Ara glanced at Harry as the Weasley look-alike drew out the empty chair beside him, staring pointedly at Harry. Harry seemed to take the hint and sat down next to him.

Ara took a seat on the other side of Harry's date, Fleur and her date sitting next to Birch.

"I've been promoted," the Weasley look-alike said abruptly, loudly enough for Ara to hear. From his tone, he might have been announcing his election as supreme ruler of the universe. "I'm now Mr. Crouch's personal assistant, and I'm here representing him."

"Why didn't he come?" Harry asked. From his tone, Ara could tell that he didn't particularly want to talk to him. Ara suspected that he must be Percy, Charlie had told him about his pompous younger brother.

"I'm afraid to say Mr. Crouch isn't well, not well at all. Hasn't been right since the World Cup. Hardly surprising - overwork. He's not as young as he was - though still quite brilliant, of course, the mind remains as great as it ever was. But the World Cup was a fiasco for the whole Ministry, and then, Mr. Crouch suffered a huge personal shock with the misbehavior of that house-elf of his, Blinky, or whatever she was called. Naturally, he dismissed her immediately afterward, but - well, as I say, he's getting on, he needs looking after, and I think he's found a definite drop in his home comforts since she left. And then we had the tournament to arrange, and the aftermath of the Cup to deal with - that revolting Skeeter woman buzzing around - no, poor man, he's having a well earned, quiet Christmas. I'm just glad he knew he had someone he could rely upon to take his place."

Ara frowned, while she didn't doubt the stress at the Ministry of Magic with the tournament and the World Cup, it was something a talented senior ministry employee should be able to handle. She briefly wondered what he meant when he mentioned the house elf. Even the Malfoy's survived after their house elf had been freed and if they could survive, anyone should be able to.

There was no food as yet on the glittering golden plates, but small menus were lying in front of each of them. Ara picked hers up uncertainly and looked around - there were no waiters. Dumbledore, however, looked carefully down at his own menu, then said very clearly to his plate, "Pork chops!"

Ara and the others at the table followed suit and soon everyone had began eating.

"So tell me about Durmstrang," Birch said, gazing intently at Ara.

"Well," she began unsure of how to describe her school. She was surprised, but Birch was the first one to really ask about Durmstrang. "We have a castle as well, but it's not nearly as large and I don't think it's as comfortable either… Its rather cold and a bit gloomy. They only light fires for magical purposes, not for comfort. The grounds though are huge, bigger than here if you don't count the forbidden forest… unfortunately we don't get to enjoy them at this time of year considering its generally dark…" she trailed off unsure of what else to say. Birch was still staring at her and smiling charmingly. Ara was caught thinking once again how handsome the Slytherin was. She briefly felt guilt stir in her stomach at the thought.

"Now, now, Lestrange!" said Karkaroff with a laugh that didn't reach his cold eyes, "don't go giving away anything else, now, or your charming friend will know exactly where to find us!"

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Igor, all this secrecy ... one would almost think you didn't want visitors."

"Well, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, displaying his yellowing teeth to their fullest extent, "we are all protective of our private domains, are we not? Do we not let jealously guard the halls of learning that have been entrusted to us? Are we not right to be proud that we alone know our school's secrets, and right to protect them?"

"Oh I would never dream of assuming I know all Hogwarts' secrets, Igor," said Dumbledore amicably. "Only this morning, for instance, I took a wrong turning on the way to the bathroom and found myself in a beautifully proportioned room I have never seen before, containing a really rather magnificent collection of chamber pots. When I went back to investigate more closely, I discovered that the room had vanished. But I must keep an eye out for it. Possibly it is only accessible at five-thirty in the morning. Or it may only appear at the quarter moon - or when the seeker has an exceptionally full bladder."

Ara held back a snort and was surprised to find that Harry had not been so controlled. It seemed that every time she spoke with Dumbledore she liked him more and more.

Ara glanced over at Fleur who seemed to be criticizing the decorations to her date, although he didn't really seem to be listening if the dazed look and the fact that he kept missing his mouth when trying to eat was anything to go by.

"Zis is nothing," she said dismissively, looking around at the sparkling walls of the Great Hall. "At ze Palace of Beauxbatons, we 'ave ice sculptures all around ze dining chamber at Chreestmas. Zey do not melt, of course . . . zey are like 'uge statues of diamond, glittering around ze place. And ze food is seemply superb. And we 'ave choirs of wood nymphs, 'oo serenade us as we eat. We 'ave none of zis ugly armor in ze 'alls, and eef a poltergeist ever entaired into Beauxbatons, 'e would be expelled like zat."

She slapped her hand onto the table impatiently.

"Absolutely right," Davies said quickly, slapping his own hand down on the table in imitation of Fleur. "Like that. Yeah."

Ara really liked Fleur, but she didn't think she realized just how arrogant and condescending she could sound.

Ara glanced around the room and found the Potters, Lupin, Sirius, and Charlie sitting at a table together. The other Professors were scattered at the other staff tables. Sirius and James kept shooting Ara concerned looks, she wasn't sure if it was because of who she was there with or if it was because of her sudden departure the night before. Charlie looked up at her as well and gave her a small wink, this only caused the guilt in her stomach to grow at the thought that she was attracted to Birch.

When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear, and then he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall. A set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it.

The 'Weird Sisters' trooped up onto the stage to wildly enthusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn. They picked up their instruments.

Ara took Birch's offered arm and followed him onto the dance floor. She glanced back at Harry who was stumbling over his robes as he rushed to stand up.

The Weird Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune and Birch grabbed Aras hand in his, placing her other hand on his shoulder as he grabbed onto her waist and pulled her closely. She glanced at Charlie who was standing behind Birch and was surprised to see the glare on his face. She only hoped it was directed at Birch and not at her.

They revolved slowly on the spot as the soft music played around them.

"I would have thought you'd be more talkative," Birch said softly, leaning close to her ear. "Draco never stops talking."

Ara laughed softly, instinctively leaning into him "sorry about that, I'm afraid he always had to fill the silence at home."

Birch laughed and Ara shivered as his breath hit her neck.

They continued to spin, and Ara continued to do her best to watch the others around them. After the first song, other people joined them on the dance floor. Ara smiled at the sight of Connor and Kara dancing, his attention was completely glued to her as though he had never seen anyone quite so amazing. Viktor danced with Hermione, Ara thought the smile on her face was cute, she was clearly having an amazing time and she looked far older and more stunning than usual.

Dumbledore was waltzing with Madame Maxime. He was so short compared to her that the top of his pointed hat barely tickled her chin; however, she moved very gracefully for a woman so large. Lily and James were dancing beside them, and Ara couldn't stop the smile that came to her face. The look in James' eye showed how much he adored her. She couldn't stop feeling sad, she felt sorry for her aunt. Her uncle had never looked at Aunt Cissy the way that James looked at Lily.

After two more songs, Ara excused herself to get some punch. Sirius was standing with Lupin, the two of them watching the students dancing around them.

"Is there a reason you two aren't dancing?" She asked with a smirk forming on her lips.

"We have to watch the students," Sirius said at the same time Lupin said, "we have no dates."

Ara let her face drop and she looked at them with confusion "I thought that you two were an item," she said quietly, holding back a smirk at the dumbfounded looks on their faces.

Lupin let out a laugh, realizing that Ara was kidding.

"you little shit," Sirius said when Ara cracked a smile.

"What?" she asked innocently "There's nothing wrong with it…"

"Of course, there's not," Lupin said, "Other than that I am way out of his league."

Sirius spluttered "I'm out of your league!" he said in a loud whisper.

"Look Ara," Lupin said, turning serious, much to Ara's surprise. She knew Lupin was good friends with the others, but they had never really had a conversation. "Be careful with Birch, he has a history of… Well…"

"hurting girls," Sirius finished when Lupin couldn't.

Ara glanced back at Birch who was talking with a couple of other Slytherins. He was charming and good looking, she wondered if it was something that he used, charmed his way into getting with girls and then broke their hearts. Well, she figured that would make him more of a Casanova than a criminal.

"I can take care of myself," she said plainly, but nodded in appreciation.

"Oh I love this song," Ara said as an upbeat song came on. Ara knew that it wasn't a 'Weird Sisters' song, but a muggle song. She used to sneak Draco out of the house to listen to them. She cringed at the thought of Lucius realizing what they did.

"Ara," Draco said walking up to her. He held out his hand and offered her a small bow.

Ara grabbed his hand and pulled him out onto the dance floor. They danced and jumped with the rest of the students, mouthing the lyrics as they danced. Ara smiled fondly at Draco, she hadn't seen him so happy in quite a while, but his smile was big, and he didn't seem to care that he was dancing awfully close to Viktor and Hermione.

When the song changed to a slow one, Ara was pulled into a dance with Rosier.

"you know I love you right?" Edwin said quietly so that only she could hear.

Ara looked at him confused, neither of them were particularly open about feelings and she was secretly praying that he didn't like her in a romantic sense.

"You're like the sister I've never had," he said quietly. "So, trust me when I say that Birch will try to take advantage of you and he will have no idea what he is up against."

"Why would you set me up with him?" she asked.

Edwin shrugged "I had no one else to set you up with and I know that if anyone can hold their own, it's you. Frankly he could use to be brought down a peg or two."

The night went on, Ara enjoyed her time immensely. She continued to dance with Birch, keeping the warnings in the back of her mind. She would glance over at Charlie frequently, sending him reassuring glances, ones that he seemed to appreciate greatly.

When it was nearing midnight, Ara found that many of the younger students had drifted off to their dormitories, leaving the older students on the dance floor. Even Draco had disappeared off to the dungeons with Parkinson at some point.

"Want to get some fresh air?" Birch asked, sliding his hand along Ara's arm.

She thought back to what Remus and Sirius said, but with one look in those eyes she followed him anyways. She would say no, she was with Charlie after all, but a walk outside wouldn't hurt anyone.

They were standing in an open courtyard when it happened. Birch reached down to pull her into a kiss, when she pulled away, he pushed her against the wall, holding her face and pushing his to hers.

She pushed him away again "stop," she said firmly.

Birch laughed "honestly? You want this as much as I do…" he said and he pushed her against the wall one more time, this time his hand sliding along her back and inside of her dress.

She pushed him away once more "you know what happens when you make an assumption?" she asked slowly "you make an arse out of yourself."

Birch's charming smile fell, and his stare turned icy. "You're a slut, I figured you, out of all people, I wouldn't have to convince."

"Tell me Birch, how many girls have you raped?" she asked coldly.

"None, they all wanted it."

"right… I'm sure."

Birch lunged once more, grabbing Ara by the throat and pushing her into the wall, this time with the intent to hurt. "Look the truth of the matter is that you and I belong together… Both future Death Eaters, both dark, both powerful," he said as he raised his arm pointing it towards the dark night sky.

It was then that Ara realized what he was doing. It was a much like a variation of the imperius curse and a love potion, but it involved pulling off the energy of the shadows, it was generally seen as a very dark form of magic that was often unheard of.

One of the only reasons that it wasn't considered unforgivable, was because it could be fought. Something that Lucius made sure to teach Ara.

"Listen here Birch," she said to his confused look at the failed spell. "The difference between you and I is that your parents were simply wannabe death eaters, while mine were in the inner circle… you merely adopted darkness, but _I_ was born into it," she said and before Birch even had time to think he was thrown backwards into the pillar behind him.

She walked towards him and grabbed him by the collar of his robes "I have a seat at the Dark Lord's table, but you will have to fight for your place and I doubt he would want you," she said with a smirk. "You're very charming, you should have 'whooed' me, dated me, and used my connections to your advantage… instead you ruined your chances with not only the daughter of the Dark Lord's most loyal servant, but also with the heir of one of the last remaining 28 noble families… I wish you well on your quest," she whispered threateningly before releasing him and turning to walk back into the castle.

She was nearly at the entrance when she saw Charlie standing there with his want pointed forward. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted and Ara felt the spell buzz past her head.

She turned around to find Birch's wand leaving his hand.

Birch scrambled to his feet, reached around for his wand, and went back into the castle, swearing under his breath along the way.

"Are you alright?" Charlie asked, concern evident in his eyes.

Ara nodded "of course… How much of that did you see?" she asked hesitantly.

"I saw him fly backwards and hit the pillar," he said with a small smile. "Your wandless magic is… extraordinary," he said softly.

"So you heard what I said?"

Charlie nodded. He put his hands on her shoulders and got her to look at him "I think that you're not as dark as you'd like people to believe." He said with a smile, his blue eyes twinkling in the moon light.

Ara looked up "what?" she asked in disbelief. "I just reminded him that I have a seat at the Dark Lord's table if he ever returns and you think I'm not dark?"

Charlie shook his head adamantly "you told him the truth… you do have a seat, you are the daughter of the most sadistic woman in the world, but from what I've heard, you are nothing like your mother and you have no desire to kiss the robes of a dead man," he said firmly.

Ara wrinkled her nose, she didn't have any desire to serve anyone.

"you are however, very intelligent and you aren't going to burn any bridges until you have to," he said, grabbing Ara's hand and pulling her out towards the fountain.

The fountain sat on a small courtyard surrounded by bushes. There weren't any other students out there at the moment, so Charlie put on music and pulled Ara towards him.

"Dance with me?" he asked with a small smile that Ara found irresistible.

Ara fell gratefully into his arms and he held her close as they swayed to the soft tones in the distance. she was amazed at the difference, while Birch had been charming and made her swoon, she felt right with Charlie. Like it was in his arms that she belonged. Charlie pulled her in even closer, leaning his head down to nestle in the crook of her neck.

"I hated seeing you with Birch," he said softly.

Ara wrapped her arms around his neck "i'm fine Charlie."

Charlie laughed and Ara could feel him shake his head. "No i hated seeing you have fun with him... I hated seeing him twirl you around on that dance floor."

Ara pulled back and looked at him "you were jealous?"

"Of course I was! Lily spent most of her night reassuring me that you and him meant nothing." While he was telling the truth, he wore a smirk.

Ara rolled her eyes "you had nothing to be worried about. I kind of thought you and I were pretty exclusive," Ara said. While it had been assumption, they never had really talked about it.

Charlie smiled sweetly "Damn right... There's no one else for me. And I don't really think I could share you with anyone either."

Ara's smile grew before she stood on her tippy toes and kissed him hard on the lips.

Charlie's smile softened when Ara pulled back. He ran his thumb along her cheek and studied her face hungrily, as though he were trying to memorize it. "Can I ask you something without offending you?"

Ara wrinkled her nose and shrugged "I suppose you can try..."

Charlie snorted "Shadow magic... how is it done?"

Ara frowned, she knew he was just curious. It wasn't often that you ran across someone who could perform it. "it's kind of hard to explain... you just draw energy from the shadows. All witches and wizards are born with magic, but there's magic in other things as well. There's magic in the earth and in the sea, magic in fire... It's why the wand is able to choose the wizard... well there's also magic in shadows and in darkness, but dark magic comes at a cost... with shadow magic it's like you have to submit your magic to it, and it'll repay you tenfold... Does that make sense?"

Charlie frowned "I suppose a little... I've heard of elemental magic, I guess I just never realized how significant some of it could be."

Ara shrugged. She had grown up with shadow magic, she didn't know life without it.

Charlie smiled at her and pulled her into his arms once more. They continued swaying and spinning in circles until the next song ended and Charlie pulled Ara into a soft kiss. Ara melted into it and Charlie took the opportunity to deepen it, running his hands through her hair. Ara wasn't sure how long they stood there snogging, but someone saying, "what the bloody hell?" caused them to jump apart as though they were burned.

Ara was relieved to see Sirius and James, she knew that they would keep her secret.

"What are you doing Weasley?" Sirius said, glaring at Charlie.

James was looking amusedly at his friend but didn't say anything.

"What?" Charlie asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"We came out here to make sure there were no Slytherins taking advantage of my dear cousin and instead we find _you_ taking advantage!"

Ara laughed "Charlie isn't taking advantage," she said simply.

Sirius simply sent her a look telling her to be quiet.

"Well Weasley?"

"I'm sorry?" Charlie questioned, unsure of how to respond.

James interrupted and put his hand around Sirius's mouth to keep him from saying anything more.

"So, how long have you two been… dating?" he asked, unsure of what they were.

Charlie glanced at Ara "since after the last task," he said, taking a seat next to the fountain.

Sirius made an outraged noise from behind his friends hand, but James kept his hand there.

"no Sirius," James began in a motherly tone "wouldn't you rather Ara be with someone like Charlie than someone like, say… Oh I don't know, Birch?"

Sirius nodded resentfully from behind James' hand.

"So when I take off my hand you need to congratulate them," he said mockingly. Sirius nodded once more.

When Sirius was free to speak, rather than congratulating them he threatened Charlie "you hurt her and I will kill you," he said firmly.

"Understood," Charlie said, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

"Please don't tell anyone," Ara said with a guilty look towards Charlie "we're not ready… well I'm not ready for everyone to know," she said softly.

Charlie wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the side of her head.

Sirius and James agreed and the four of them walked back up to the castle.

"I promised i'd meet Fleur and Cedric at midnight," she said once they reached the castle entrance. She gave Charlie a kiss and waved at Sirius and James before heading back to the entrance hall. She was glad to see both Fleur and Cedric already there. Both of them wore relieved smiles when they saw her approach.

"We were about to send out a search party," Cedric said, standing up and pulling Fleur up with him.

"No need," Ara said with a shrug. "I'm here."

Fleur glanced around the deserted entrance hall. "is zere somewhere to eat?" She asked Cedric.

"Yeah," he said, throwing his arm around Ara, much to her surprise. "Let's go to the kitchens."

Cedric led them down a corridor to the floors beneath the castle. They walked up to a portrait with fruit and both Ara and Fleur laughed when Cedric tickled the fruit and a door swung open revealing the kitchens.

"This is kind of Hufflepuff's pride and joy... our common room is just down the hall, so we are all able to sneak food whenever we want."

"And ze ozzer 'ouses do not know of it?"

Cedric smiled at her charmingly "well some students do... but not many."

The house elfs were excited to see them, each one jumping up to get them whatever they wanted.

"Miss Lestrange!" the squeaky voice caught Ara by surprise, it was one she had been so used to hearing, one she loved dearly.

"Dobby!?" she asked loudly, turning her head quickly.

The house elf smiled largely, he was wearing an odd assortment of clothes. She was glad to see that the rags were gone and instead he wore a long yellow shirt and mismatched socks.

"Do you work here now?" she asked, bending down to see the house elf head on.

"Yes miss! Professor Dumbledore offered Dobby a job and ten Galleons a week, and weekends off, but Dobby beat him down, miss... Dobby likes freedom, miss, but he isn't wanting too much, miss, he likes work better."

"That's great Dobby... I was sorry to see you go."

Dobby frowned his large ears drooping. "Me too miss... But master was a bad man," he immediately tensed up and made to jump to the side. Ara grabbed his shirt reflexively.

"Dobby, you don't work for him anymore! you don't have to hurt yourself."

Dobby breathed deeply "Sorry miss Dobby has a habit."

Ara smiled Kindly "you can call me Ara now if you want."

Dobby smiled largely and much to Ara's annoyance started calling her 'Ara Lestrange.' Every year she grew to hate that name more and more. After a while, the house elves handed them snacks and they sat at the kitchen table to eat while the other elves did their jobs.

"Dobby was your house elf?" Cedric asked before taking a large bite out of a cauldron cake.

Ara nodded "Harry freed him a couple years ago I think."

"I'm sorry," Cedric said.

"Don't be... he was treated horribly, i'm glad he's out of there."

"'ouse elves are zupposed to be apart of ze family," Fleur said with a frown "zey cook and clean sure, but zey aren't zupposed to be treated as zlaves."

Ara nodded "unfortunately there are a lot of people who do treat them as slaves... people who think anyone who isn't a pureblood witch or wizard isn't worthy of life or love."

Ara looked down at her plate, but noticed the look that was passed between the other two.

They didn't ask her to expand, but changed the conversation to a much more pleasant one. When they were full and tired, the three of them headed back out of the kitchen. Cedric and Ara walked with Fleur to the carriage and bade her goodbye before Cedric walked Ara back to the ship.

"So Birch didn't do anything to you right?" Cedric asked "I mean... anything you didn't _want_ him to do..."

Ara smiled at him "no he didn't..."

"Are you into him?" Cedric asked "I know it probably isn't my business... it's just... well he took advantage of a girl in my year."

Ara sighed "I've been hearing that a lot... and no i'm not into him."

"Oh," Cedric seemed relieved "I only thought maybe... you guys went outside together so I wasn't sure."

Ara smiled and looped arms with Cedric, he seemed to relax at the gesture. "I have more power in my pinky finger than Birch has in his entire body... I think he learned that tonight."

Cedric paused and turned to look at her, a crooked smile on his face.

"He tried," she said honestly "so his head connected with the pillar."

Cedric laughed "it's about time... I don't know how he does it, but he can always seem to overpower women."

"it's dark magic," she said softly, not making eye contact.

Cedric nodded, it seemed he had at least guessed that.

"don't take this the wrong way," Ara started "But why do you care?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean why make sure I'm okay? Why check on Fleur? Why walk us both to our sleeping quarters? We're supposed to be your competition."

Cedric laughed "Ara... why do _you_ care?"

she frowned.

"Fleur was crushed earlier today. I had no idea what to do with an emotional girl with body image issues, I didn't know what to say to her or what to do for her... let me tell you, telling her she was stunning and i'd go out with her was not what she wanted to hear... but you found her and somehow managed to change her view and make her happy again. Why did you care? and Harry? You have his back around every corner and yet your family _hates_ his family. Why do you care about him."

Ara took a deep breath and shrugged "I guess I just think they're both really misunderstood," she said with a shrug.

"and me?" he asked.

Ara shrugged once more.

"Look, Ara, this tournament is nothing like I expected... I don't know how to describe it, but it feels like we're out here fighting for our lives. There's something coming, and I know you can feel it too. I never had siblings and for whatever reason I fell like I have to protect you...and Fleur... and Harry. Besides you three are the only ones who possibly know what's going through my head."

Ara nodded, she had felt it too, the intensity of the tournament, the closeness to the other contestants, the need to protect the others.

"the whole purpose of this competition is to bring the schools together... to make ties in the wizarding world. I don't see why we should fight that."

"You're right," Ara said with a small smile. "Thank you," she said softly, she wasn't sure what she was thankful for... maybe it was that he was so honest or that he reminded her that she wasn't crazy for feeling what she felt. Or maybe it was for caring about her when she knew it was a hard thing to do.

"Get some sleep Ara, i'll see you tomorrow," he said, pulling her into a soft hug.

"Cedric," she said as he turned to walk away "Have you figured out your egg yet?"

Cedric grimaced and shook his head.

"you know that fancy prefects bathroom of yours?" when Cedric nodded she continued "well i'd use those hundreds of taps to draw yourself a bath... take your egg with you," she said with a smirk before turning and heading back to the ship.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Ara and Connor went to breakfast late on boxing day. They were in the middle of eating scrambled eggs when the post arrived and to Ara's horror there was a picture of her on the front page.

The only problem was that it wasn't just her, but it was a picture of dancing with Charlie and kissing him.

"shit," she said quietly, her eyes glued to the picture "shit shit shit shit shit."

"Ara?" Connor said, leaning forward in hopes of seeing what she was reading.

Ara's eyes moved down to the article and she grew angrier with every word she read. How it was possible that Rita Skeeter even saw them, she wasn't sure.

"Ara what is it?" Connor said again, this time louder.

Ara crumpled up the paper and slammed it down onto the table, running her hands through her hair. Connor picked it up, his eyes widening at the picture.

"Това е глупост!(this is nonsense)" he said loudly.

Ara gripped her hair tighter and looked over to the Gryffindor table. People all across the hall were holding the paper and pointing towards the picture. At the Gryffindor table she caught Charlie's siblings with a mixture of looks on their faces. Ginny looked worried, Ron looked disgusted, and Fred and George simply looked surprised. When she looked up towards the staff table she found Charlie looking equally horrified at the picture landing in the paper.

She didn't wait, she grabbed her stuff and bolted from the Great Hall, heading back in the direction of the ship.

"Ara stop," Charlie said, running after her out of the hall.

"No," Ara said when Charlie grabbed her arm, a hint of desperation in her voice.

"I know we didn't want people knowing yet – "

"you don't get it Charlie! Your family may be disappointed, but they'll still love you! Nothing bad will really happen… but did you see what it said about me? Did you read the article?"

Charlie grimaced and looked away from her face.

"they think I slipped you a love potion or that you are under the imperius! They think I'm using you to get ahead in the tournament… so I can win!" she said bitterly. "I just need some space," she said before she turned on her heel and walked back to the ship.

* * *

It was nearly dinner when Ara finally rolled out of bed with a groan. Her friends had been doing their best to get her to talk to them, but she simply ignored them, choosing instead to stare at the ceiling thinking of all the horrible outcomes of that damn article.

Ara stood up and stretched, she figured it wouldn't do her any good to lay around all day. She was nervous, but she didn't know who to talk to. No one would understand what she was going through.

She was about to leave when her door opened and Anna came in, looking determined.

"we need to talk," she said when she saw that Ara was up.

Ara sighed and sat back down on her bed. She loved her friend but she really didn't need some sort of lecture.

"getting past the part where I'm hurt that you didn't tell me you had a boyfriend, Connor has said that the guy is nice and good for you so I think you should not let this article get to you and you should keep with him."

The words came out in a jumble. Ara looked at her with exasperation. "it's not that simple Anna," she said angrily.

Anna huffed in annoyance "yes it is Ara, not everything has to be so difficult! It's okay for you to be with someone your family doesn't like! They'll come around eventually."

Ara sneered "how the bloody hell would you know? You know nothing of the way this wizarding world works. It's because you're a bloody half-blood and you've had a bit too much influence from your muggle mother!"

Anna took a step back "my mother isn't a muggle!" she shouted "you just make everything so dramatic… you try to piss off your aunt and uncle on a regular, but then over react when they do get mad!"

"just fuck off Anna," Ara said before storming past her roommate and leaving the ship. She hesitated only briefly, glancing at the castle, before bypassing it and heading to the beuxbatons carriage.

She knocked briefly on the carriage door before it was opened by a brunette girl.

"Is Fleur here?" she asked softly.

The girl simply looked at her questioningly as though she couldn't understand why she would possibly be here.

"Ara," Fleur said with a bright smile. It seemed that she had heard her name. "Come in," she gestured her forward.

Ara followed Fleur as she was led through the carriage. It was much larger on the inside, bigger than the ship even. There was a beautiful living area that seemed like it should belong to the queen for it was covered in everything magnificent. Beautiful couches, chandeliers, expensive art. Down one of the hallways there was a small kitchenette with fresh fruit and pastries. There was also another small sitting area with tables.

Along the other hallway were the bedrooms. Fleur led Ara into hers, it was a beautiful room with a large bed in the middle.

"You have your own room?" she asked surprised.

"yes of course," Fleur said with a smile. "As ze champion, I was given it."

Ara nodded, that made sense. She figured had another student become champion for Durmstrang, they would have also been given their own room, but because it was her, Karkaroff didn't particularly care.

"I saw ze article," Fleur said with a small smile. "I want you to know zat I don't believe a word of it," she said passionately.

Ara smiled and sat in the armchair next to Fleur's bed while Fleur sat on her bed.

"Do you like 'im?" she asked.

Ara smiled sadly "of course… he's so sweet and funny and not easily flustered… he doesn't care who I am or where I come from," she said "but he's a blood traitor," she said the last part bitterly, shaking her head in frustration.

Fleur sighed "he's a pureblood?"

Ara nodded "he's a Weasley."

Fleur looked surprised "and your uncle disapproves? Zey are one of ze last noble families."

Ara nodded "unfortunately being a pure blood means nothing if you associate with muggle borns… it might even be worse. They see them as turning on their own kind."

Fleur rolled her eyes "even France has zeir fair share of pure blood extremists. It seems ridiculous."

Ara nodded and sighed.

"you know… ze veelas weren't all zat righteous either," Fleur said with a small smile. "I 'ad a great aunt who would use 'er charm to maneepulate people. Eet is how she became wealthy," she said with a grimace.

Ara looked at her surprised "I thought the Veelas were hunted? Don't you have a community? A safe haven of sorts?"

Fleur laughed "you did your research… yes Veelas were also 'unted… Witches and wizards wanted to use zeir charm for zeir own uses. If zey didn't get what zey wanted, ze wizards would lie about zem… I wouldn't zay eet has been much different for you?"

Ara shook her head "I haven't been hunted."

Fleur paused "no maybe not, but people lie about you. Zey treat you 'orribly.

Ara shrugged "it doesn't matter Fleur, honestly. I'm not trying to feel sorry for myself, I just don't know what to do."

"What is it zat you are afraid of?"

Ara shrugged "my families disapproval."

"Will zey 'urt you?"

Ara looked at her quickly and shook her head "no of course not."

"So it wasn't zem who left ze scars?"

Ara sent her a small smile "Of course not… My aunt genuinely cares about me. My uncle may hate me, but he'd never lay a hand on me."

Fleur nodded "well I zink if you really lie ze boy, you give it a shot. If you're family disapproves, you cross zat bridge when it comes… you decide which relationship is more important."

Ara stayed silent. Fleur was right, but Ara already knew the answer. Her relationship with Charlie was far more important to her than her relationship with her uncle. The only one she didn't think it was more important than, was her relationship with Draco.

"thanks Fleur," she said, sending her a small smile.

Much to Ara's surprise, Fleur came and sat beside her on the chair, basically sitting on her lap. Ara stiffened when Fleur's arms came around her and she kissed her forehead.

"what are friends for?" she asked, "I give excellent advice, zat is what I've always been told… and don't act so uncomfortable, you will 'ave to get used to ze affection."

Ara snorted "alright alright… I should probably head up to the castle." She said before shoving Fleur off her lap.

Fleur walked with her to the grounds and back towards her ship.

"'ou can talk to me about anyzing, so you know," she said kissing Ara on both cheeks.

"Thank you," Ara said genuinely. While she didn't know Fleur well, she had truly grown to trust and care about the girl. She had a feeling she would be in her life for a long time.

Ara went back to her room and was glad to see that Anna was gone. Anna may have been right with some of the stuff that she said, but she was still frustrated with her.

She sat on her bed briefly before grabbing the make up bag that was sitting on her night stand and making her way back to the castle. There were a few students out and about, they whispered as she passed, giving her dirty looks for what she could only assume was because she 'drugged' a Weasley… a fairly well-liked family.

She ignored them and made her way to the Potter's living quarters. She thought briefly about going to see Charlie, but part of her wanted support from someone else before she saw him. Part of her wanted reassurance from Lily. She shook her head while she walked, reassurance was never something she needed before, at least not like this.

She knocked briefly on the portrait hole, the little girl was now sitting in the grass making a daisy chain.

When the door opened Ara was surprised when yelling hit her ears. James stood there with a grimace on his face. The grimace softened when he saw who it was. He glanced back behind him before stepping into the hallway.

Ara took a step back "is everything alright?" she asked worriedly.

James sent her a crooked smile "of course…" He glanced back into his living quarters "you're welcome to come in… I just worry you might be dragged into the yelling."

Ara frowned.

James sighed "The Weasleys are here and I'm afraid Charlie's facing some questioning."

Ara scoffed "Are they yelling at him for dating me?" she asked angrily.

James sighed and rubbed his hand over his face "They don't know you."

Ara threw her hands up in frustration "It's Rita Skeeter and her bloody articles."

She didn't wait for James but walked through the portrait hole. She could hear the raised voices from the entry way.

"Mum enough!"

Ara walked into the room as Charlie yelled, banging his fist onto the table. Arthur was sitting between his wife and his son, Molly was on her feet. Lily stood off to the side, clearly trying to stay out of it while still showing Charlie support with small comments.

It had been only seconds, but Charlie started getting to his feet and Ara had seen enough. With a fling of her arm, both Charlie and Molly were pushed back into their seats. They looked towards her in surprise.

"What on earth are you lot doing?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"Ara – "

"No, shut up Charlie," she said firmly. "Where on earth is this loving family that I've heard so much about? You honestly are starting to look like my family." It wasn't completely truthful, her family handled disagreements much differently, but the statement seemed to have the desired effect as both Molly and Charlie looked slightly abashed.

"Charlie, I appreciate you standing up for me, but where do you get off yelling at your mother?"

Charlie looked appropriate apologetic, even if there still was some fight left in his eyes.

"and Mrs. Weasley," She turned towards the Weasley Matriarch "I understand that you don't like me and don't trust me and don't want me to have anything to do with your son, but I can assure you I don't mean harm to him or any of you," she said almost desperately. "Everything that Rita Skeeter writes is a lie. I realize my mum was a horrible wretched person, but I'm nothing like her. I don't even remember much about her! The only memories I have of her aren't happy ones. The only person in my family that I truly care about is Draco."

"From what I've heard Draco Malfoy isn't a very good person either." Molly said, softer than before.

Ara sighed roughly "No he's a spoiled brat and arrogant as can be, but he has a good heart. Anyone who truly knows him knows that… but he's had my uncle as influence and I'm sure you all know how horrible of an influence that is!"

"How is it that you turned out differently if you had the same influence?" She asked, this time genuinely curious, even if a little suspicious.

Ara laughed "I was never as spoiled given that my uncle never wanted me… but I was just as arrogant... the difference was my uncle shipped me off to Durmstrang. Durmstrang may have a horrible reputation because of Grindelwald and Karkaroff, but they aren't nearly as judgmental there. People didn't care what family I came from, they knew little of me… I made friends and they were a good influence," she said with a shrug "Draco was at a disadvantage, he knew so many people before coming to Hogwarts, he already had friends… then on the train he and Harry got into it and that just set him in his arrogant Slytherin ways… he's really not a bad kid though."

"Look, I'm not asking you to like me or to suddenly be okay with me and Charlie dating, I am asking that you try to get to know me before deciding you hate me." She pleaded.

"Mum," Charlie said, standing up and walking towards Ara. "I'm twenty-two years old and I'm going to date her with or without your permission… but I'd really like you to try… to give it a chance," he said softly.

Ara sucked in a breath at Charlie's statement, that he was willing to date her no matter what, said a lot. It reaffirmed her decision to do the same.

"Molly, Ara really is nothing like her family," Lily said, moving towards where the others were sitting. "Do you really think I would trust her so much if she was a potential threat?"

It was clear that there were more to Lily's words than Ara realized. Molly sighed sadly and nodded "you're right Lily… Of course you wouldn't."

Molly stood up and turned towards Ara "I suppose if you're free the next Hogsmeade trip, maybe we could get a spot of tea."

Ara let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding "that would be lovely," she said with a large smile.

Molly nodded as Arthur stood up. He came and shook her hand, offering her a kind smile. "we're going to get going, we've been here long enough." He said, pulling Charlie into a brief hug.

Molly hugged him next, hers lasting a bit longer.

"Sorry for yelling mum," Charlie said quietly.

"you should be," she whispered, making Charlie laugh.

With that the two of them left through the Floo.

"well that was enough excitement to last a life time," James said with a crooked smile.

Lily walked over and hugged Ara "with that, we are going to let you both have some time to talk," She started pulled James towards the kitchen, but he paused by the couple.

"Keep your hands to yourself Weasley," he said, poking Charlie in the chest.

Ara found it rather comical seeing James go from happy to serious, it seemed Charlie did to.

"I don't want any funny business," he said before winking and following his wife into the kitchen.

Charlie settled onto the couch before pulling Ara down next to him. Ara turned and crossed one leg under her body so she could face him.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier," she said.

Charlie simply smiled and shrugged "it was understandable," he said.

"You're parents came awfully quick after the article."

Charlie grimaced "mum wanted to see Lily, see if the news was true."

Ara nodded.

"So… I don't really want to make any assumptions, but is it safe to assume you aren't dumping me?" Charlie asked with a smirk.

Ara laughed "no… I'm not, not as long as you still want me."

"Of course, I do," he said, pulling her closer to him.

Ara melted into his arms gratefully.

"What about your uncle though?" he asked.

Ara sighed "I don't know… I guess we'll cross that bridge when it comes."

Charlie smiled and leaned forward, kissing her softly.

"I said 'no touching!'" the shout came from the kitchen causing both Charlie and Ara to laugh.

Charlie shook his head and stood up, pulling Ara with him. "let's get out of here… too many prudes."

"I am NOT a prude!" James shouted, clearly having listened in on their whole conversation.

The two of them waved goodbye to the Potters before heading back to Charlie's room.

* * *

Charlie and Ara had spent the evening and morning of the next day in bed. It wasn't until Lunch that they managed to leave, going their separate ways to get a bite to eat.

Ara headed for the Slytherin table, plopping down next to her cousin. She was glad to see that many students had opted for eating at other times, or different locations. It seemed that some had even returned home for the remainder of the holidays.

Ara stared at Draco until he looked up from his food. "When were you going to tell me?" he asked quietly, looking back down at his food.

Ara grimaced at the hurt in his voice "I didn't think you'd approve... I know how much you hate the Weasleys."

Draco sighed and looked at his cousin sadly "he's why you've been so happy right?"

Ara simply smiled in response.

"I think Ron is a prat and father hates Mr. Weasley… but I don't really hate the others," he said quietly, glancing around hoping no one would here. "the Twins actually have some funny pranks and I don't know the girl Weasley at all, but she doesn't seem horrible…"

Ara let out a relieved sigh that didn't last long.

"Father won't approve."

"I know… I didn't want him knowing, but… well I'm hoping this is something he can get over. Charlie is a pureblood after all."

"and if he can't? if he disowns you?"

Ara sighed "I'm seventeen, nearly out of school. It's not like it'll matter much, I still have my Lestrange inheritance."

"But you won't be able to come back, and he won't let me see you," Draco said almost desperately. Ara realized his concern was the same as hers, not being able to talk to each other.

Ara sighed "well maybe I can convince him otherwise," she said, "Charlie is a pureblood and I can say that he is different than the rest of his family."

Draco looked unconvinced that it would work but nodded "maybe."

* * *

It was nearly 24 hours later, three days after the dance, that the letter Ara had been expecting arrived. It came from an unusual owl, rather than the family owl so it briefly caught Ara off guard, but when she opened the letter, she found her uncles usual elegant writing.

 _Ara –_

 _As I'm sure you know the paper came as quite a shock. I can't say everything I'd like to through this letter, please meet me and your aunt in front of the school at 9 tonight._

 _Uncle Lucius_

The letter didn't give any hint as to how angry he was, but Ara knew he would be furious. She wasn't sure what he had planned, but she was certain that it was likely he would try to curse her. The only thing she had going was that her aunt would be there to help calm him down and the fact that Ara was twice as powerful as him and could deflect nearly anything he could throw at her.

She wasn't afraid of him.

As the sun went down, Ara got dressed and left the ship quickly, ignoring her friends calls to her. She walked through the grounds through the entrance hall of the castle and out to the front of Hogwarts. She found her uncle sitting on a bench next to the walkway. He didn't make any sort of movement when she approached, but after a while he motioned for her to sit.

"Where's Aunt Cissy?" Ara asked.

Lucius shook his head "she decided not to come."

Ara nodded knowing full well that he probably talked her out of it.

"What the bloody hell do you think you are doing?" he asked quietly.

Ara shook her head "he's not like the others – "

"He's a blood traitor."

"no, his father's a blood traitor –"

"Don't argue Ara," he said harshly, standing up and rounding on her. "you will break up with the boy and date someone more respectable. I don't care what you have to say to explain the picture, say that he forced you, that he took advantage, that he slipped you the love potion, but you will fix this."

"I'm not doing that!" Ara said standing up as well. "He's done nothing and doesn't deserve it. Besides, I like him," she said softly, not wanting to admit something like that to her uncle.

"I don't care if you like him," he said firmly "Marriage isn't about love, it's about status."

"He's a pureblood," she insisted.

"Pureblood means nothing if you are a blood traitor," he responded taking a step towards her and pulling out his wand.

"What are you going to do Uncle, if I don't do it?" she asked with a scoff.

"you will, trust me after tonight, you won't want to be with him."

Ara saw the spell coming before it hit her and blocked it with ease. She shot a few curses of her own back towards him, missing her mark.

"Honestly, why are we doing this?" she asked exasperated. "you haven't been able to beat me in a duel since I was thirteen."

Lucius smiled, a smile that sent a shiver down Ara's spine. It was a smile she had never seen before, not from him. "Darling Ara, I know how powerful you are, I know that you can beat me in a duel, its why I'm not alone."

Ara didn't have time to react before she felt something being wrapped around her head. She sent out a shock wave, hearing one final yell before the world around her went black.

When she woke up, she found herself tied with rope to the wall. She recognized the rope, it helped control powers in children. She had it used on her a number of times when she was younger. She was in a classroom within the castle, although she wasn't sure which classroom.

Lucius sat calmly in a chair in front of her. There were at least two hooded figures in either corner of the room, but the room was dark and she couldn't tell if there were more.

"Now Ara, my beautiful niece," he said, leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees. "Sources have told me that you not only are dating the Weasley boy, but you have also befriended the Potters and Black… Why on earth would you do such a foolish thing?"

Ara struggled against the bonds, still tired from whatever knocked her out. "they're not as horrible as you've suggested Uncle."

Lucius shook his head "Maybe this is my fault, maybe I didn't pay enough attention to you growing up."

Ara looked at him confused, she knew he was trying to manipulate her, but he was right. Had he paid more attention to her, she may have looked up to him more.

"They don't love you Ara, they could never love you."

"you're wrong," she responded firmly.

The spell wasn't spoken out loud, but Ara felt it before it hit her. In only a moment she was screaming in agony as every muscle tore. The spell was brief, the pain gone as soon as it started.

"I'm not wrong Ara… they couldn't love you, not after what you did," Lucius said, moving closer to where she was standing.

"well?" he prompted her.

"screw you," she spat.

' _crucio'_

Ara barely heard the world leave his lips before she felt every muscle, every bone on fire once Ara began slumping against the ropes once more.

"Don't you remember Ara? Come on think back to when you first met the Potters."

"What?" she asked, genuinely confused.

"You were four years old, your mother took you to a park. It had a carousel and a tire swing."

Ara remembered it, barely. She remembered her mother telling her to go and help a young girl that had fallen off the tire swing. The girl was barely older than her and had shocking red hair.

"no," she whispered, remembering the girl. It was the girl from the portrait that she had walked through only two days ago.

Lucius smiled "Alaina Potter was her name… you became friends with her… played with her every day then one day you were invited into her house," he said slowly, letting the words register with Ara.

She remembered going to the house, it was a beautiful home. Modest in size, but had a one of the largest play rooms she had seen, bigger than even her own.

"you carried a necklace with you that allowed you to communicate with your mother…"

Ara was shaking her head adamantly now, tears springing to her eyes.

"It allowed your mother to hear James say the location of the house."

The meaning of what her uncle was saying hit her like a ton of bricks and she was finding it harder and harder to breathe.

"You are the reason the Potter's lost their daughter and you really think it's possible for them to love you?" he was standing right in front of her, his eyes sad, although Ara knew he wasn't.

"no," she said again, struggling to accept what he was saying.

Lucius turned his back on Ara, but she was his with the cruciatus curse twice more. Her screams echoed of the silencing charm, reminding her that no one could hear her. She yelled until her voice was raw and her legs had completely given out. It was only the binds that held her.

"As for Charlie, Ara Lestrange… Dump the boy. He does not deserve you."

Ara shook her head and was hit with another curse. Lucius waited until her screams died out before continuing.

"You are the most powerful witch to walk this earth," he said slowly "and I managed to capture you and torture you… what makes you think I can't do that to your precious boyfriend?" he asked, and it was then that Ara recognized the threat. That Ara found the worst thing that could happen, the one thing she hadn't considered when thinking of her uncle's wrath. He'd go after Charlie.

The binds were released, and Ara fell to the floor.

"Do you understand me? You will dump the boy, or I will get to him."

The statement was final, and Ara knew there would be no more argument.

The curse happened again and again. She writhed on the floor in agony, this time her voice to horse to scream. It didn't take long until she felt unconsciousness creep up on her.

When the spell was finally lifted, Lucius pulled her face close to his "make this right," he said one final time before he disappeared through the door, leaving her to her shaky limbs on the ground.

Ara couldn't get her limbs to move, couldn't get her mouth to speak, and couldn't get her wand to perform any kind of spells. Instead she laid there until unconsciousness claimed her.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Her head was pounding, and the world was blurry. She could hardly make out the shapes of chairs directly in front of her. She couldn't remember why she was there, lying on the cold, hard ground. Her mind was foggy, it felt as though she had far too much to drink the night before and was still feeling the aftereffects…. That couldn't be it though.

She groaned as she turned onto her side, every muscle was protesting. It felt as though a hundred knives had torn through her body, leaving her a little more than a pile of mush.

She panted briefly before moving onto her side once more, gasping for breath as she pushed herself onto her knees. She glanced up, her vision clearing enough to realize she was in a classroom and that the sun had just began to rise.

As she glanced around the room her foggy memories started becoming clearer. When she saw the drops of blood on the floor and the broken furniture, she remembered she had been attacked… by Lucius.

She groaned but crawled forward, slowly making her way towards the door. Every movement hurt, she felt every muscle seize beneath her, but she pushed forward. As she got closer to the door, she grabbed one of the desks and heaved herself upward. She managed to stand on her feet but after one more step her legs gave out and she landed hard on her knees with a stifled scream.

She kneeled on the floor breathing heavily through her nose, trying to calm her pounding heart. She wasn't sure how long she stayed there, but the sun was rising steadily and Ara knew she had to start moving if she didn't want to run into anyone.

She patted her pockets and was glad to find that she still had her wand. Rather than heading through the door, she crawled back to where the desk was. She shuffled through the drawers hoping to find any spare bit of parchment that she could.

She found a crumpled up one, one that had been shoved into the drawer. She flattened it out and tapped the paper with her wand.

It was a spell she and her friends had learned at Durmstrang. It was a way to send each other notes when they weren't near each other. They found it made it easy to pass notes while in class without getting caught. This time, she hoped Connor would notice it landing in front of him.

When the paper disappeared, Ara slumped against the wall. She could hardly move, she couldn't focus, and the world around her was still blurry. She didn't know where exactly she was, but she knew Connor would be able to find her quickly.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she was startled up when the door to the classroom was flung open.

"Co-" she gasped and coughed, unable to finish say his name clearly.

He paused at the door and Ara was grateful to see that he was alone. His eyes seemed to widen at the sight of her and in an instant he was kneeling beside her, looking her over taking in all the damage that was done.

"Hospital wing?" he asked, though his tone suggested that he knew what the answer would be.

Ara painfully shook her head and Connor sighed.

"Alright… I'm going to carry you then."

He gently put her arm over his shoulders and his arm under her legs before he hoisted her up. She groaned at the movement, her head flopping back before coming to rest on his shoulder.

He moved gently, taking her down several steps of stairs and out onto the chilly grounds. Ara was grateful that he didn't ask any questions…. She was grateful for the silence.

When they made it to the ship, Connor helped her into her bed. Ara was surprised to see that Anna wasn't in the other bed.

She groaned in relief when her head hit the pillow. While every muscle was still in pain, laying down somewhere comfortable was relieving to her stiff muscles.

Connor opened her bedside cabinet and pulled out a vial.

"For pain," he said, helping Ara sit and tipping it into her mouth. He pulled out another vial "dreamless sleep" he whispered, "we'll talk when you wake up."

Ara drank the second vial gratefully but couldn't deny that she didn't want to have that conversation, she didn't want to see the disappointment and hurt in Charlie's eyes, she didn't want to see the confusion in Draco's or the possible disappointment when people realize how weak she was, she couldn't even beat her uncle. Part of her was hoping that she wouldn't wake up.

* * *

Sirius yawned largely as he walked up the many stairs to his classroom. He had been putting off grading papers for two weeks and now, the last day before classes resumed, he had some catching up to do.

As he reached his classroom door, he pulled out his wand. The door was ajar, and he knew for a fact it had been locked. He stood off to the side and pushed the door open, while keeping his distance. He Kept his wand at the ready as he peeked around the door, looking for signs of anyone waiting to attack. The sight that met his eyes nearly made him drop his wand. His office was a wreck. Desks were flipped over, papers scattered across the floor. He lowered his wand when he didn't see anyone lurking in the corners. He followed the drops of blood that lead from the door to the far side of the room and gasped when he saw the wall and the words written in what looked like blood.

 _Darkness lives in her, it can't be destroyed._

Sirius ran shaky hands through his hair before pointing his wand towards the door, sending his Patronus to Dumbledore first, then James.

He looked over his classroom, being careful not to move too much stuff around, but looking for anything that might tell him what had happened. He didn't have to search for long for the door opened only five minutes later. Dumbledore and James had arrived at the same time, James was out of breath, clearly he had run.

The two of them walked through the room like Sirius had, James grimacing when he saw the writing on the wall. Dumbledore looked contemplative as he stared at it intently.

"It looks like whoever was hurt managed to walk out," James said, indicating the drops of blood leading towards the door.

Sirius sighed "Do you think it was a student?" he asked Dumbledore. There had been a time when Sirius would have laughed had anyone told him he'd one day be a teacher, but he had grown to love the job, and his students.

Dumbledore shook his head "it's hard to say… I'm more curious why it happened in your classroom," he gestured the blood on the wall "was that meant for you? Or merely a coincidence…"

Sirius grimaced, it was clear Dumbledore didn't expect an answer to his question, he was looking thoughtful at the writing. Dumbledore led the other two out of the room, before locking and sealing it. The three of them walked in silence up to Dumbledore's office.

Dumbledore sat behind his desk and ran a worried hand through his gray hair. James and Sirius sat quietly, they knew better than to interrupt when he was thinking things through.

Without word, Dumbledore stood and walked towards his fireplace. It was only a moment before the room was much more crowded with McGonagall, Snape, Lily, and Madame Pomphrey in the room.

"thank you for coming so quickly," Dumbledore began. "It seems one of our students or teachers has been injured… This morning Sirius found his office too be in disarray and human blood was found on the floor and wall as well as a message."

McGonagall sat down quickly "was the message in blood?"

Dumbledore didn't have to answer the question, everyone knew the answer.

Lily stiffened "like the chamber of secrets?"

James shook his head "this was different… Besides the basilisk is dead and the chamber is heavily warded."

"what was the message?" McGonagall asked, her voice shaky.

"Darkness lives in her, it can't be destroyed." Sirius said, he'd been replaying the words over and over in his head trying to make sense of it. He knew the odds were good that the message was meant for him.

"Are we certain that it wasn't Black? It wouldn't be the first time he's attacked someone…" Snape said, glaring at Sirius.

"Honestly Severus," Lily said tiredly "Sirius would never hurt a student! And he wouldn't hurt a teacher unless they truly deserved it."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Let it go Sev!" she shouted, "this is serious, someone in this castle is hurt or threatened."

Snape quieted down at the scolding from Lily. "Well then Black… does the message mean anything to you?" he asked.

Sirius sent Snape a small glare "I don't know… maybe…"

"What are you thinking mate?" James said, rubbing small circles on his wife's arm.

He sighed and shook his head "Darkness lives in her… either it's a warning against someone or it's a threat to leave someone alone."

Dumbledore was looking at Sirius sadly, it was clear he had a suspicion of what it meant.

"Ara," Lily said quietly. "We should check on her."

Snape's head snapped up at the mention of his niece "Why do you think it's about her?"

Sirius shook his head "she was born into a dark family and I care a lot about her," It was odd for him to be admitting this to Snape, but by the look in Snape's eyes, it was clear that he cared a bit as well. "I think it was a warning to stop spending time with her… or it was someone trying to tell me she's evil."

Snape scoffed and sat roughly in a chair "she doesn't have an evil bone in her body," he said quietly, almost sadly.

"Severus?" Lily asked with a frown "Are you close with her?" She couldn't hide her surprise, she knew that he had been a Death Eater, but never considered that he might be close with Ara.

Snape shook his head "not anymore… But I knew her when she was young and she's a trouble maker, she holds grudges, she believes in justice and revenge, but she's not evil."

There was a knock on the door breaking the silence that followed Snape's speech.

"Come in," Dumbledore said softly.

Sirius recognized her as Ara's friend and it was then that his fears were confirmed.

"Sorry for interrupting," she said, her Bulgarian accent strong.

"Is Ara alright?" Dumbledore asked.

Anna's eyes widened in surprise "I was coming up to talk to you about her… how did you know?"

Sirius was on his feet and walked over to her "we suspsected… what's wrong? Does she need help?"

Anna grimaced "well she won't want help, she won't be happy I'm here. Connor found her this morning and…and-" she hesitated, her eyes welling up with tears.

Lily walked over to her and rubbed soothing circles on her back while guiding her to one of the chairs.

"She's not okay… she can't walk, she's in pain, she can hardly even talk…"

"Do you know who did this to her?" Snape asked, his voice caught Sirius by surprise. It was soft and full of concern.

Anna shook her head "I think Connor knows or at least he thinks he knows, but Ara won't say."

"Well I'm going to go see her," Sirius said and was out the door, not waiting for the others. When he reached the bottom he found that the others had followed, well all but Snape.

Anna caught up to him and started leading the way to the ship. She walked right in and Sirius was grateful to see that none of the other students were around or Karkaroff. The last thing they needed was an argument with the man.

She didn't bother knocking on the door, but opened it. Connor was sitting on the bed, a textbook open in front of him and Ara was sleeping soundly on the bed next to him. Connor's look shifted from surprise to anger.

"Какво направи Anna? (What did you do)" he asked, glaring at Anna. He swung his legs off the bed, threw his books on the empty bed across the room and stalked over to where they were standing. Sirius had never quite realized how large the man was. "We came to check on Ara," he said, glaring at the angry kid.

"Now's not really a good time," Connor said, blocking the way.

"Mr. Paar, If Ara is injured, we can offer out services. We can help give her the proper attention she needs." Dumbledore said.

Connor seemed taken aback at the presence of the headmaster.

"Is this serious enough that your headmaster should be made aware of it?" he asked.

Connor grimaced "It wouldn't matter if Karkaroff did know…. Look I don't know what Anna told you, but I can assure you Ara will be just fine."

He sent a glare towards Anna who was now standing beside Ara.

"Come off it Connor, I've never seen her this hurt before."

"Млъкни." He said shortly.

"Don't tell me to shut up Connor," she said, clueing them into what he was saying. "You know as well as I do that she needs help."

"That's why she has us Anna, I swear sometimes I don't think you know her at all." He turned back to the group still standing at the door "Alright headmaster, I suppose yoyu and your mediwiitch could look over her, but I really don't see any reason for the rest of you to be here," he said.

Sirius made an outraged noise and made to move forward but found himself blocked by the burly seventeen-year-old.

"You have no right, Ara hasn't invited you, you are not here to heal her, and you are not her immediate family, so I suggest you clear out."

Sirius opened his mouth to argue but stopped by Dumbledore's hand on his shoulder.

"We will ensure she is alright Sirius, why don't you three head back to the castle. Mr. Paar is right."

Sirius looked like he was going to argue, but with a glance towards Lily and James who wore equal looks of resignment. Sirius sighed, "fine," he said and with one last glance towards Ara he followed the other two back up to the castle, Lily hooking her arm with his and James holding Lily's other hand.

"Dumbledore will keep us informed," Lily said quietly.

"Who does that kid think he is? Why wouldn't he want us to help?"

"Remus was the same way," James said after a moment. "When we knew about his furry little problem, he never wanted anyone to know. How many times did we bandage him up? How many times did we lie for him? That's just what friends do."

Sirius shook his head "this is different."

"Is it?"

"yes," Sirius said petulantly "this is Ara and that dinasour of a kid… That was us."

Lily laughed "doesn't sound much different."

James threw his arm around his wife "he's becoming an old man Lils."

"I am not," Sirius said

* * *

Her head was pounding and every slight noise made it pound even more. She heard voices from across the room, muffled ones. She didn't recognize them.

She opened one eye slowly, letting her eyes adjust to the light. She held back a groan at the sight of the two people at the other side of the room, whispering between themselves. While she didn't know both of them, she did know the Headmaster.

Dumbledore was talking quietly to the mediwitch across the room and she knew that it was only a matter of time before they realized she was awake and she was questioned.

She sighed deeply when Dumbledore walked over to her and did her best to prepare herself mentally. She didn't want to have this conversation, she wanted to sleep soundly alone and have no one know that she was hurt. Her mind was foggy and she didn't remember exactly what happened. What she did remember was that it was her uncle who attacked her and that he wanted her to break ties with Charlie.

"Ara, do you know what happened?" Dumbledore asked, pulling up the chair next to her bed.

Ara gave a single nod but didn't offer any more information.

"We found you in Sirius Black's classroom this morning," he said.

Ara frowned, she had no idea where she had been taken, but she was surprised her Uncle would take her to Sirius. It briefly crossed her mind that maybe it would be a warning to Sirius, a warning to stay away. Out of everyone, Sirius would be someone who understood.

"Who tortured you Ara?" Dumbledore asked, concern filling his eyes.

Ara felt something going through her mind and she looked away "please don't" she said. She knew Dumbledore had been trying to use legilimens, but she wasn't strong enough to keep him at bay.

"I apologize," Dumbledore said, the brief look of surprise vanishing.

"I understand there's a time and place for it, but I can assure you, I don't need assistance."

Dumbledore looked at her intently a frown on his face "My dear child, everyone needs help at some point," he said.

Ara shook her head "yes I suppose, but in this instance, I can take care of myself."

"You're lucky you're alive," he said, compassion lacing every word.

Ara didn't bother correcting him. She knew it wasn't luck. Lucius never could have gotten away with murder. No, he knew exactly how far to push her before she broke. He may have cut it close, but he knew she'd survive.

"I can help you, you know… I can keep you safe," he said.

Ara looked at him and she found herself believing him. She knew there may come a time when she had to break her ties with her family, but she wasn't ready to do it just yet. She couldn't leave Draco or her Aunt. Plus, she didn't think that if they knew everything, they'd be so accepting of her.

Ara shook her head "I don't doubt your abilities headmaster, everyone knows of your accomplishments, but I'm afraid you don't know me at all."

"I may not know you well, but I know you aren't like the rest of your family."

"Honestly Dumbledore, I couldn't take you up on the offer even if I wanted to..." She trailed off, unsure of what else to say as the memories of the previous night started coming back. She remembered the Potters, the threat of torturing Charlie.

"Ara I know you better than you think… I know the only thing tying you to your family home is Draco and your Aunt," he said simply.

Ara forced laugh. "yes, they may be the only thing tying me to my family home, but I don't belong with you and your posse of good dooers," she said gruffly. She felt guilty for being so rude to the headmaster, but he didn't understand.

"I know what happened when you were a child," he said causing Ara to still at the words. "when you and Draco were at the park," he finished, and Ara let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. It meant that he didn't know about her involvement with the Potters.

Ara sighed "it really doesn't matter."

"You were just protecting your family."

"Honestly headmaster, I know… Sure I feel guilty, I killed a man, but I'd kill a million men if it meant saving Draco," she said, not looking away from him.

Dumbledore gave her a small smile.

"So what's keeping you from living the life you clearly want?"

Ara sighed "nothing headmaster, I perfectly happy with my life... I'm wealthy, have a title, I'm in the Triwizard tournament as the Durmstrang champion, not to mention I have about ten job offers once I graduate… Couldn't be happier."

Dumbledore smiled sadly "you and I both know that none of those things are truly what you want."

Ara was saved from responding by Madame Pomphrey who came over, handing her an armful of potions while telling her how to take them and when to take them.

"Now, I should be having you stay in the hospital wing… but clearly that would be a losing battle so you must promise me to come see me if you get worse at all, if you don't, I will be telling your headmaster," she said sternly.

Ara gave her a small smile "I promise," she said quietly.

"I'll leave you to rest… the Potters and Sirius were hoping to come and see you."

Ara looked at him quickly, she didn't want to see them, couldn't stand to see them. She had been trying to be friends with them when she was the reason that their family wasn't whole. She took a deep breath and held back the tears that were threatening to fall. Her uncle was right, she didn't belong with them. She knew where she belonged and while she promised herself years ago to never kill anyone again, she knew she needed to stay in good graces with her uncle. She needed to protect her cousin and her aunt for they were truly the only people she had. The only people she loved. The only people who loved her. Charlie may be falling for her, but he'd find happiness with someone else and she would do everything in her power to protect him as well.

"I'd rather not see them headmaster. I have friends here who can take care of me just fine," she said, not making eye contact.

She missed the sad look that Dumbledore gave her. "very well," he said softly before patting her on the shoulder and following Madame Pomphrey out of the room.

Ara could feel something wet on her face and she wiped roughly at it. She wasn't a crier. With one look at all the potions sitting next to her bed, she grabbed the one for dreamless sleep and downed it. She didn't want to think or feel anymore.

It was nearly dinner time when Ara woke up the next day. She still felt groggy, like she wasn't entirely there. She found herself immensely grateful for her friends, they had told others that she was sick, so they wouldn't think she disappeared.

* * *

She hadn't told them what had happened, but they kept a silent vigil around her, keeping conversations light and offering comfort where they could. Connor especially knew her well. Although it happened infrequently, it wasn't the first time he had been there to help with the after effects of her Uncle's rage.

She turned over and faced the bed next to her. She held back a snort at the sight of Connor. He was sitting on Anna's bed, wearing her pink robe over his pajamas. He looked ridiculous, but she figured he must have been cold.

"Good morning," he said with a large smile that quickly morphed into a confused frown "or should I say evening?

"Did you go to classes today?" she asked softly, her voice still hoarse with the lack of use… and possibly the screaming.

"no," he said with a heavy sigh, although his eyes betrayed that he was really pleased about getting out of class. "I convinced Karkaroff that it was in his best interest for me to take care of you," he said.

Ara snorted "and pray tell how did you manage that?"

He shrugged and grabbed a magazine from off the night stand. "I have my ways Lestrange."

Ara sighed and pushed her head into the pillows further. Her head still ached, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been.

"Shall we go for a walk?" Connor asked.

Ara thought about it. Going outside did sound nice, but she didn't want to see anyone. She didn't want to see the Potters, or Draco, or even more daunting, was the thought of seeing Charlie.

She knew she needed to talk to him and she knew what she had to say, but she was nervous, and her stomach twisted at the thought of losing him. She thought it would be easier to simply stay in bed and never see him again then to tell him they were done.

"Well?" Connor said, surprising Ara at the closeness. She hadn't realized he moved next to her bed.

"no thanks," she said softly.

Connor sighed and moved to sit next to Ara on her bed. "come on, let's go get dinner. I'm sure your friends would love to see you."

Ara shook her head "there are plenty of people who would love to see me, but I have no desire to see any of them."

"I'm sure we can get you some chocolate mousse… rumor is if someone's having a bad day all they have to do is whisper their favorite dessert and it'll appear."

Ara smiled into her pillow but shook her head.

"I can't do it Connor… not today."

He sighed once more. "Alright how about a picnic outside, right next to the ship?"

Ara hesitated, thinking over the offer. She was hungry and fresh air sounded nice. It was very unlikely that she would run into anyone she'd rather not see with them being so far from the castle in the middle of winter.

"Fine," she said.

Connor smiled and helped her into a sitting position before handing her a vial of potion from her bed side. She drank it down, grimacing at the taste. He rubbed her sore muscles, helping her relax and gain more movement.

"How many times?" he asked, tension in his voice giving away his anger.

"What?" she asked although she knew what he was asking.

"how many times did that bastard torture you?"

Ara sighed "I don't know… I lost count after six."

Connor sighed heavily and pulled Ara into a hug. "why don't you come live with me this summer? Or Anna?"

Ara shook her head "and leave Draco at his mercy? Things are changing Connor, the dark mark on his arm is getting darker, death eaters are becoming antsy… I can't just leave Draco."

Connor gave her a sympathetic look knowing that there was nothing he could say to get her to turn on him.

"What about Charlie?" he asked.

Ara ran shaky hands through her hair "we're done. I don't deserve him anyways," she said, doing her best to stand, grabbing Connors shoulder for support.

"well I don't know Weasley, but I'm certain that's not true."

She sent him a small smile, grateful for his unwavering support. "why can't you and I just be in love?" she asked jokingly.

"For whatever reason we just weren't meant to be," he said with a small laugh.

"It's because Charlie is your soulmate," came a voice from the door.

They both looked up, having not heard it open. It was Kara who walked in.

Ara looked at Connor guiltily, they were newly dating, and she didn't want to ruin anything.

"I was only kidding Kara," she said quickly.

"Relax Ara," she said walking forward and helping her take a few steps. "I've known you for years, I know you two have a history, and I know you have absolutely no romantic feelings for each other…" she said smiling and looking fondly at Connor.

"And Charlie isn't my soulmate," she said having caught on to what she said when she walked through.

"Okay," Kara said with a sarcastic lilt to her voice.

Ara glanced at Connor who shrugged and back to Kara "I'm serious."

"I know you are," she said with a smile "but you're wrong."

"Are soulmates even a thing?" Ara asked, exasperation in her voice. "I think they are just a myth meant to make lonely people feel like they have hope."

Kara laughed "well rumor is that some people do in fact have soulmates and after they've met it becomes harder and harder for them to survive without each other."

"Well that's just great," she said with a snort.

"Alright, you two can argue about this later, but lets get some fresh air," Connor said, putting his arm around Ara's shoulders and walking her out of the bedroom.

They walked at a slow, leisurely pace. Ara was greatful for every step felt like her body was splitting in to. She was breathing as though she had run a marathon.

When they reached the grass outside the ship, Connor led them off to the side and conjured a blanket, laying it on the ground. Kara ran ahead to the castle without word and Ara assumed it was to get food.

Connor helped her sit before conjuring pillows as well to help with the comfort.

"I feel like a cripple," she said with a sigh.

Connor nodded "you could definitely use a wheelchair, I practically had to lift you."

Ara threw a piece of grass at him.

"Why were the headmaster and Madame Pomphrey there?" she had been wanting to ask the question since she woke up, but she didn't particularly want to know the answer. She found it hard to believe that Connor would call them, but part of her knew if he was worried enough, he would.

Connor paused before opening his mouth, Ara knew he was going to come up with some elaborate lie so she cut him off instead.

"Don't you dare lie."

Connor opened and closed his mouth before sighing heavily "Anna told them."

She knew, well she had suspected that that was the case. It didn't change the frustration she felt for Anna. She knew Ara well enough to know that she'd never want any help. Ara didn't say anything, she didn't particularly like talking crap about her friends.

Connor seemed to realize what she was thinking for he changed the topic quickly. "Draco's been asking about you," Connor said softly. "He came over maybe three times… I think he suspected something," he said.

Ara sighed "what did you tell him?"

"That you were sick and you wouldn't want him missing class."

"Did he believe you?" she asked.

Connor shook his head "no, he got mad and said, 'you'd tell me if she was dead, right.'"

Ara looked up at Connor quickly "What?"

Connor looked sadly at her "he's not as naive as people like to believe and he worries about you."

"I wish he didn't," she said softly, glancing back down at the pillow sitting in her lap.

"I'm sure he wishes you didn't worry about him so much as well... Speak of the devil," Connor said.

Ara followed his eye line and saw Kara coming out of the castle with a young blonde following close. She sighed, she hadn't even thought of a lie yet.

"How are you feeling?" Draco asked as he got closer, setting a plate of dessert down on the blanket before plopping down next to Ara. "Connor said you were _sick_ " he said the last word sarcastically, sending a glare to Connor.

"I'm fine," she said briefly, not wanting him to ask more questions. "How were classes today?"

Draco turned his glare from Connor to her "they were fine," he said mimicking her tone.

Ara reached for some of the chicken that Kara had brought, taking a large bite. "Your sarcasm is obnoxious."

"your lies are obnoxious," he responded, not looking at her.

Ara swallowed the chicken and immediately regretted it as it seemed her body was instantly rejecting it. She had felt hungry, but clearly her stomach wasn't handling it well. She paused not saying anything, but the feeling didn't leave. She hurriedly crawled to the edge of the blanket throwing up on the grass next to it.

She moved slowly and sat back down on the blanket, her stomach still twisting uncomfortably. Connor waved his wand and vanished the puke without a word.

She took the cup of water that Kara handed her gratefully and sent a sideways glance at Draco. He was staring at her with a concerned look on his face.

Ara grimaced as Kara handed her a bowl of soup and crackers.

"it'll help," she said supportively.

Ara took a small spoonful of broth and found that it did settle her stomach. She ate the rest gratefully.

"Have you talked to Charlie?" Draco asked.

Ara hesitated briefly "no," her voice was strained. "I'm breaking up with him," she said after another pause.

Draco stared at her for a full minute before saying anything "I thought you liked him."

Ara shrugged "yeah he was nice and all, but we really aren't good together."

"Is he the one who hurt you?"

She looked at Draco, surprised by the question and shook her head adamantly. "Of course not… he'd never…"

"Then who did?" he asked angrily.

Ara shook her head once more "let it go Draco, I'm going to be fine."

"You're so sick you can hardly eat and Anna said she's never seen you in so much pain."

Ara sighed angrily, of course Anna had said something. She had had nearly enough with her so called 'friend.'

"Anna is dramatic… The mediwitch came and saw me, as did Dumbledore, and they both gave me a clean bill of health."

It was a lie, clearly Draco seemed to realize this for he simply glared at her.

Ara shrugged once more "honestly, Anna went and told them, they came and looked over me, gave me some potions, and said I'm fine. Do you really think they'd let me out of their sight if I wasn't?"

Draco shook his head disbelievingly, but didn't question it further.

* * *

Ara spent the next week tucked into her room. Connor, and surprisingly Kara, were constant companions. It seemed that they took turns taking care of her, ensuring she had everything she needed and that she took the proper potions on a regular. Draco came every night and had dinner with her, she felt guilty. She knew his friends must be wondering why he kept disappearing, but she couldn't get herself to go to the great hall and it wasn't simply because she could hardly walk.

She hadn't seen Charlie since. He had stopped by several times, as had the Potters and Sirius, but Ara turned them away repeatedly. She knew she couldn't avoid them forever, but she was going to try. Charlie had even sent a couple of letters that were still strewn across her desk, crumpled from being read and held for hours on end.

"Are you hoping that by avoiding him he'll realize you two aren't together anymore?" Connor asked after walking in on her re-reading the letter for the sixth time.

Ara glared at him "It could work."

"maybe… Are you going back to class tomorrow?"

Ara nodded she had already missed a week of school and while she didn't have end of the year exams, she did have to take her NEWTS in June.

"Should we get dinner in the Great Hall tomorrow?" He asked tentatively. He knew it was likely she'd say no.

She shook her head "you guys can, but I just don't want to go to the castle."

"You're losing weight," he said and for one of the first times in the past week she could hear real concern in his voice.

She glanced down at herself, she didn't feel like she was losing weight, but she supposed she hasn't been eating much lately, so it was possible.

"Other people are worried as well… It might be good if you at least showed yourself," he said with a shrug.

Ara rolled her eyes "It's just the Potters and Sirius and Charlie. And I don't want anything to do with them anymore," she said.

Connor shook his head "Your friend Rosier asked about you… So did Cedric and Fleur."

She was surprised at that, she hadn't thought anyone else would really even notice.

She sighed and rubbed her face in her hands. "Alright, maybe I'll go tomorrow for dinner, I'll see how I feel," she added, she wanted to leave herself a way out.

"Great," he said, his mood improving.

* * *

Her classes had gone fairly well, she was grateful she didn't have to go too far for them, just the other end of the ship. She was still exhausted, and it had been a long day. When dinner time came, she kept to her word and made her way up to the castle with Connor and Kara. While not everyone had noticed her absence, there were quite a few heads that turned at her sudden re-appearance. Several people at the Slytherin table smiled and waved her over to them, but she ignored them and took a seat next to Draco who was thrilled that she was back in the castle.

While her appetite was better than it had been, she still wasn't able to eat very much. Not wanting any incidents like the night at the lake, she stuck with soup and bread.

Throughout dinner she could feel stares and she found herself growing more and more depressed. She could feel the eyes of the Potters and Sirius on her. She could feel the stares of Charlie and she wanted nothing more than to see them, to talk to them, to let them take her away from her uncle…. But when she made eye contact with Lily, all she could see was the portrait of the small girl… the girl falling off the tire swing and herself being welcomed into their home. Part of her could even imagine the mangled remains of the small girl, something that she had caused.

It was because of that that she kept her head down and pushed away any desire she had to visit with the others.

Half way through the meal she was joined by Rosier and much to her displeasure, Birch. She was grateful that he didn't question her or even bring up the fact that she looked thin and pale and she had been gone. She told a few people she had been sick, most seemed to buy it.

When Ara was finished, she couldn't wait to get out of there. She walked as quickly as she could to the main doors, ignoring that Connor wasn't beside her for he was still eating. Unfortunately, she couldn't make it quickly as one of her legs chose to seize up on her. She paused at the end of the Slytherin table, grasping it firmly and sucking in a sharp breath. It was barely seconds later when Draco was beside her, trying to support her leg without it being obvious. He wrapped his arm tight around her waist and the two of them left the hall.

It wasn't long until multiple sets of footprints followed them and Ara knew the part that she had been dreading had come.

"Ara," Charlie said, a mixture of relief and concern filled his voice.

She turned around slowly letting go of Draco and letting her leg support itself once more. "Charlie," she said softly. James, Lily, and Sirius had followed him out.

"I've been worried about you," he said simply "we all have," he glanced behind him.

Ara shrugged "nothing to worry about."

He ran his hand through his hair, almost nervously before reaching forward and brushing a finger across her cheek.

Ara flinched and pulled away. "I can't Charlie," she said quietly. "We're done."

"What?" he asked, his smile turning into one of confusion and concern "Who did this to you?"

Ara took a step back "no one Charlie."

She made to walk back to the entrance, but was stopped by his hand on her arm.

"Ara we'll make it through this –"

"No Charlie... I'm sorry, but we're done."

"Ara," he said once more but was cut off by Sirius.

"We know someone threatened you Ara… Let us help you," he said pleadingly.

She frowned "No one threatened me," she said firmly with a small glance at Draco who was staring at her intently. "I don't need any help."

"There were words written on my classroom wall with your blood," he insisted Draco tensed beside her at the information.

Ara snorted "sounds like someone was playing a prank on you. I haven't ever stepped foot in your classroom."

"Ara –" Lily started with unshed tears in her eyes.

"leave me alone," she said loudly, "Did it ever occur to you that maybe not everyone wants to be your friends or wants to have anything to do with you? Charlie you mean nothing to me. I've tried pissing off my family for my entire life and that's all I was doing with you. I was using you," guilt stirred in her stomach as she ranted. "So why don't all of you just stay away from me and my family…"

James looked angry, Lily had tears steadily flowing now, Sirius looked fearful, and Charlie looked stunned. He reached for her once more but she jerked her arm back.

"I said leave me alone Weasley."

Charlie looked back at the others and took a step back.

Connor, who came into the entrance hall sometime during the conversation, wrapped his arm tightly around Ara "let's go," he said quietly and started pulling her in the direction of the doors, past the group of students who had stopped to see what would happen.

Connor was nearly carrying Ara by the time she reached the ship, her legs nearly giving out multiple times on the walk back. She fell into her bed gratefully and let the tears fall freely.

"Ara – "

"Don't," she begged "you don't understand Connor… You never will understand," she insisted.

She knew what he was going to say, that he was going to remind her she didn't have to do it. That he would tell her to pick Charlie's side instead of Lucius'. The problem was greater than simply picking a side. As much as she would have loved to be with Charlie and be close with the Potters and Sirius and even Lupin, it would never be possible. The picture of the small girl standing next to the large stag drifted into her mind and for the first time that she could remember, she could feel hate bubble up from her stomach. Hate for her mother for damning her and hate for herself, for destroying the lives of good people.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Over the next week Ara found herself being even more withdrawn. She didn't want to see people, didn't want to talk with anyone, she just wanted to be alone. There were days that she'd force herself to go see Draco and then there were days that others would force their way into see her. The most surprising had been when Cedric and Fleur visited, both refusing to leave until they had spent an adequate amount of time with her. It was that one day that she felt more normal than most. They didn't treat her like she was injured, didn't look at her with concerned eyes, instead they treated her perfectly normal and brought her books that talked about underwater creatures, so she could get ready for the tournament without having to go to the castle.

Ara was grateful that only one other article had come out since the announcement that she was with Charlie and much to Ara's shock it didn't say one thing bad about her, only mentioned that she was single once more. Most of the article focused on Harry being friends with a half-giant. Ara had a sinking suspicion that Harry had said something in her defense and Skeeter took it and ran with it.

"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade?" Anna asked, standing over Ara as she laid in the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"No thanks," she responded quietly. It had been her response to most things recently. If there was a possibility she'd run into someone she didn't want to see, she would say 'no.' it was unfortunate that it meant she was spending a lot of time in her bedroom.

"Ara please?" Anna asked with a hint of desperation in her voice.

Ara looked at her surprised.

"all you ever do is sleep and you're hardly eating anything… lets go get fresh air and get something to eat at the Three Broomsticks."

"Anna – "

"No, look I know you don't want to see Charlie or anyone else for that matter but we, your friends, want to spend time with you… Besides the more time you spend lying around the longer its taking you to heal," she insisted.

Ara knew her friend was right. While physically she was doing far better than she had been, her muscles would still seize up randomly and she had lost weight, although that could be because of her infrequent eating habits.

Ara sighed heavily, she did like Hogsmeade and wanted to get out of the castle for a bit.

"alright," she said, causing Anna to grin widely.

"excellent, get ready and we'll go," she said brightly before walking out the door before Ara could change her mind.

Ara sighed and stood up, her muscles protesting. When she was dressed and ready she headed out to the living quarters of the ship. It seemed that most everyone had already left for the only people waiting on her were Anna, Connor, and Kara.

"is Viktor with Hermione?" she asked with a small lilt in her voice.

Anna nodded before grabbing her friends' arm and walking with her out of the ship and towards the village.

The walk took longer than normal, thankfully there were no painful muscle spasms, but Ara did find herself wearing out quickly, but her friends were happy to walk at a leisurely pace, enjoying the snowy scenery.

One thing Ara had been craving, were sweets. It had increased since the night of the Yule Ball. So as soon as they got to Hogsmeade, they made a stop Honeydukes where Ara bought a bag full of chocolates and hard candy and unbeknownst to her, her friends did as well for when she ran out.

They then headed to the Three Broomsticks. By this point, Ara was finding it difficult to walk, desperately wanting to rest.

"So do you know what the next task is?" Kara asked as Connor went to get them drinks and appetizers.

"Sort of," Ara grimaced. She knew vaguely but she hadn't worked on figuring out anymore since her epiphany that mermaids were involved.

"Well you still have a couple weeks… I'm sure you'll do great," she said kindly, but Ara knew she was worried and if she was worried that meant that Connor was worried.

She couldn't blame them, she didn't feel that she could compete in any sort of tournament or task at the moment.

Ara felt her breath hitch as the door to the Three Broomsticks opened and Charlie walked in. He was with another Weasley, Ara remembered him from the tournament, Bill, she thought.

It was then that Connor returned with four butterbeers and a plate of varying foods. He glanced where Ara's eyes were glued and nudged her gently in her side.

"You want me to talk to him?" Anna whispered. "have him come over here?"

Ara shook her head quickly "of course not."

"Ara, he seems like a great guy," Anna persisted.

Ara forced a laugh "how would you know?" she snapped, causing Anna to flinch. "You didn't know anything about it until the papers came out and you don't know the first thing about him!"

Anna took a deep breath "I know he made you happy… and he comes from a good family."

Ara rolled her eyes "that means nothing."

"Ara – "

"Anna," Connor said sternly giving her a pointed look. "Maybe we should let this go."

Ara sighed she hated fighting with her friends, but they didn't get it. Anna didn't understand the kind of pressure she was under and as much as she liked Charlie, she couldn't be with him. Besides, if he ever knew what she had done, he wouldn't want to be with her anyways.

She could feel her mood dropping and did her best to shake it off. She looked away from Charlie and did her best to focus on something else. The Three Broomsticks was crowded, while there were students from every school there, it seemed to be filled primarily with Hogwarts students. There were also a surprising number of teachers. Ara didn't recognize all of them but knew that they were too old to be students.

One person she did recognize was Severus. She thought back to a conversation with her uncle when he recommended that she learn legilimency. She knew she needed to get back into his good graces and taking his advice may help with that. Then again, she wasn't sure she wanted someone so close to Lucius in her mind.

"I'll be right back," she said before standing up and heading over to the man she used to consider an uncle.

Severus was sitting alone, he had a notebook held open in front of him and he was sipping what seemed to be coffee.

She took the seat across from him, causing him to look up. Ara almost laughed at the glare that he wore. It dropped at the sight of her and she assumed that it meant he originally thought she was some annoying student.

"What can I do for you Ara?" he asked politely looking down at his tea.

She couldn't deny she kind of missed her old Uncle Sev. She hadn't talked to him in a long time, but she used to be quite close with him. They would probably still be close if it weren't for him taking her uncle's side one too many times.

"Uncle Lucius recommended that I get some extra lessons from you… If you have time of course," she added, her voice soft.

"What kind of lessons?"

"Legilimency," she said plainly, keeping her voice low to not be overheard.

Severus glanced around as well "and why would you need to learn that?"

Ara shrugged "same reason I needed to learn occlumency."

"Occlumency is far more valuable and common," he said.

Ara shrugged "I don't know Severus… Uncle Lucius wanted me to talk to you about it," she said rubbing her hands together distractedly, feeling tense thinking about her uncle.

Severus stared at her intently. "Alright." He said "I suppose it wouldn't hurt… Then maybe I can find out what you were bleeding in Black's classroom."

Ara flinched "What?" she said quickly and harshly. She hadn't realized he knew.

Severus raised his eye brows "I overheard."

She hesitated briefly "you should know better than to listening to anything the Potters or Black have to say. From what I hear they are always creating problems so they can try to be the heroes," guilt stirred in her stomach once more at speaking so horribly of them.

Severus stared at her long and hard before shrugging

"Monday at 7 in my classroom… After the next task of course," Snape said, not looking up.

"Thank you," she said quietly before taking it as her cue too leave and standing up and returning to her friends.

Connor looked at her as she sat, gave her a small smile, but didn't say anything.

Ara sat in silence, listening to her friends around her. She glanced over at Charlie every once in a while, to find him quickly looking away. Bill however was not so subtle, he was staring at her, suggesting that they were talking about her.

Her friends were discussing something, classes, she suspected, she wasn't really listening. She was tired, and truth be told she didn't particularly care.

The bell to the front door of the pub went off once again and Ara groaned inwardly when Harry and his friends walked in, followed closely by James, Lily, Sirius, and Lupin. The four adults split off from them and went in the direction of Bill and Charlie while Harry and his friends went to the front to order something from Madame Rosmerta.

"Does Bagman have a regular job? Or is his only job to work on the tournament," Kara asked.

At the others confusion at the abrupt change in conversation, she pointed to a shadowy corner of the pub where Bagman was sitting with a bunch of goblins. Bagman was talking very fast in a low voice to the goblins, all of whom had their arms crossed and were looking rather menacing.

It was indeed odd. Ara thought, that Bagman was here at the Three Broomsticks on a weekend when there was no Triwizard event, and therefore no judging to be done. She watched Bagman, he was looking strained. But just then Bagman glanced over at the bar and stood up quickly.

"In a moment, in a moment!" Ara heard him say brusquely to the goblins, and Bagman hurried through the pub toward Harry who was still at the Bar with his friends, his strained look had vanished and his boyish grin back in place.

"Harry!" he said loudly enough for everyone to hear. "How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?"

Ara couldn't hear Harry's response, but he gave a tense smile and glanced over to where his parents were sitting. Neither of them was paying attention but were rather talking in hushed tones with stressed looks.

Harry glanced back at his friends before following Bagman to the far end of the Pub coming closer to Ara. She shrunk down in her seat, hoping to not be seen. As if reading her mind, Kara shifted across from her so that she was blocking her from view.

"Well, I just thought I'd congratulate you again on your splendid performance against that Horntail, Harry," said Bagman. "Really superb."

"Thanks," said Harry suspiciously.

Ara frowned, that couldn't possibly be what Bagman wanted to discuss with him. Bagman didn't seem in any particular rush to spill the beans, though. Ara saw him glance into the corner of the bar at the goblins, who were all watching him and Harry in silence through their dark, slanting eyes.

"Absolute nightmare," said Bagman to Harry in an undertone, noticing Harry watching the goblins too. "Their English isn't too good... it's like being back with all the Bulgarians at the Quidditch World Cup... but at least they used sign language another human could recognize. This lot keep gabbling in Gobblede-gook... and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means 'pickax.' I don't like to use it in case they think I'm threatening them."

He gave a short, booming laugh.

"What do they want?" Harry said.

"Er - well. . ." said Bagman, looking suddenly nervous. "They ... er ... they're looking for Barty Crouch."

"Why are they looking for him here?" said Harry. "He's at the Ministry in London, isn't he?"

"Er ... as a matter of fact, I've no idea where he is," said Bagman. "He's sort of... stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently, he's just been sending instructions in by owl. But would you mind not mentioning that to anyone. Harry? Because Rita Skeeter's still poking around everywhere, she can, and I'm willing to bet she'd work up Barty's illness into something sinister. Probably say he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins."

"Have you heard anything about Bertha Jorkins?" Harry asked.

Ara's frowned deepened. She had no idea who Bertha was, but she did know Crouch and to hear that one of the judges was no longer working was surprising. She glanced at the others all of whom were listening intently as well.

"No," said Bagman, looking strained again. "I've got people looking, of course ... and it's all very strange. She definitely arrived in Albania, because she met her second cousin there. And then she left the cousin's house to go south and see an aunt... and she seems to have vanished without trace in route. Blowed if I can see where she's got to ... she doesn't seem the type to elope, for instance... but still... What are we doing, talking about goblins and Bertha Jorkins? I really wanted to ask you" - he lowered his voice - "how are you getting on with your golden egg?"

"Er... not bad," Harry said uncomfortably.

Bagman seemed to suspect he wasn't being honest.

"Listen, Harry," he said (still in a very low voice), "I feel very bad about all this… you were thrown into this tournament, you didn't volunteer for it... and if... if I can help at all... a prod in the right direction... I've taken a liking to you... the way you got past that dragon!... well, just say the word."

Connor made an indignant noise. 'cheater,' he mouthed when Ara looked in his direction.

Ara rolled her eyes. She didn't particularly care, she helped Harry as well. She knew Connor didn't care either, but it was fishy that a ministry official and a judge was the one offering his assistance. Ara wondered briefly if that was why he pulled Harry aside prior to the first task.

"We're supposed to work out the clues alone, aren't we?" he said carefully.

"Well... well, yes," said Bagman impatiently, "but - come on. Harry - we all want a Hogwarts victory, don't we?"

"Have you offered Cedric help?" Harry said.

The smallest of frowns creased Bagman's smooth face. "No, I haven't," he said. "I -well, like I say, I've taken a liking to you. Just thought I'd offer ..."

"Well, thanks," said Harry, "but I think I'm nearly there with the egg . . . couple more days should crack it."

Ara was impressed at the 14-year-old. When she was his age, she may have been tempted to accept help from someone who helped create the tournament tasks. But here he was turning down assistance when it could be very beneficial. Bagman looked almost affronted, but couldn't say much more as the Weasley twins turned up at that point.

"Hello, Mr. Bagman," said Fred brightly. "Can we buy you a drink?"

"Er... no," said Bagman, with a last disappointed glance at Harry, "no, thank you, boys ..."

Fred and George looked quite as disappointed as Bagman, who was surveying Harry as though he had let him down badly.

"Well, I must dash," Bagman said. "Nice seeing you all. Good luck, Harry."

He hurried out of the pub. The goblins all slid off their chairs and exited after him.

Harry went to rejoin Ron and Hermione.

"Well that's not very professional," Connor said, "offering help to one of the contestants."

Ara shrugged "Harry deserves the help."

"I'm not saying I don't agree... it's just unprofessional."

Ara nodded "I suppose so… It's one thing for Dumbledore or Karkaroff or Madame Maxime to offer help since its expected they'll favor their own schools, but the other two judges shouldn't… except they'll obviously favor their own country," she laughed.

"Well that's true... although you are also from England and you're leading ini the tournament," Connor said.

Ara shrugged "but i'm affiliated with Durmstrang and it's Durmtrang that will get the glory if I win."

"What do you think he was doing with the goblins?" Anna asked. "They didn't look very friendly."

Ara shrugged "according to him they were looking for Crouch."

"I think that was a load of crap, they were here for him," Kara said.

Connor and Anna nodded in agreement. Ara shrugged indifferently. Why did it matter if the goblins were after him?

"Uh-oh," said Anna, staring at the door.

Rita Skeeter had just entered. She was wearing banana-yellow robes today; her long nails were painted shocking pink, and she was accompanied by her paunchy photographer. She bought drinks, and she and the photographer made their way through the crowds to a table near Ron, Hermione, and Harry. She was talking fast and looking very satisfied about something.

"... didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo? Now, why would that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in tow anyway? Showing them the sights . .. what nonsense ... he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? 'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman . . .' Snappy start to a sentence, Bozo - we just need to find a story to fit it -"

"Trying to ruin someone else's life?" said Harry loudly.

A few people looked around. Rita Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jeweled spectacles as she saw who had spoken. It also caught the attention of the Potters whose head snapped up. James rose from his seat but didn't approach yet.

"Harry!" she said, beaming. "How lovely! Why don't you come and join- ?"

"I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick," said Harry furiously. "What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh? And Ara?"

Rita Skeeter raised her heavily penciled eyebrows.

"Our readers have a right to the truth, Harry. I am merely doing my-"

"Who cares if he's half-giant?" Harry shouted. "There's nothing wrong with him! And Ara's a good person who doesn't deserve to have her name slandered."

The whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar, apparently oblivious to the fact that the flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing.

Rita Skeeters smile flickered very slightly, but she hitched it back almost at once; she snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill, and said, "How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know. Harry? The man behind the muscles? Or why don't you give me your insight on Ara Lestrange, the daughter of one of the most dangerous witches – "

"So you can make up some other lies?" Harry asked. It was then that James moved in their direction wanting to stop the situation before he said anything that would cause Skeeter to go after him.

"Lies?" Skeeter asked quietly "I know things about the two of them that could make even your friends hair curl," she said gesturing to Hermione. "not that it would need it."

James grabbed Harry's arm and Harry fell silent. "Miss Skeeter I'm sure you understand that I'd rather Harry not be interviewed today. He has a task coming up and he shouldn't be stressed out or distracted." He gave her a charming smile, standing close to her. But the way he lifted his chin and hovered over her, showed that he wasn't someone to be messed with.

She gave him a once over before letting out a cackling laugh "My dear James, I of course won't bother young Harry, we wouldn't want anything to distract our underage champion... How about you though? It's been so long since you've given a statement to the prophet. We'd love to know about why it is that you think you son entered this dangerous tournament? Was it the marital problems of his parents?" James gaped briefly before putting up a mask, keeping her from seeing emotion in him. Ara had seen James with Lily and she knew there were no marital problems. "Or does he have a wish to join his darling older sister in the afterlife? does he blame himself for her death?"

James' mask slipped once more at the mention of his daughter. Ara was surprised at the audacity of Skeeter, James had a reputation as an excellent dueler and Ara certainly wouldn't want to rub him the wrong way. Before Ara could stop herself, she was up from the seat, walking quickly towards Skeeter. Before James could respond, Ara grabbed Skeeter's arm dragging her attention away from James.

"honestly miss skeeter, i'm sure you can find a better story for your paper than with the Potters," she scoffed at the name, trying to show disdain for the family. "Besides I was hoping to clear a few things up about my love life... While I understand why you wrote what you did, I thought maybe you'd like an update."

Ara's charming smile and willingness to talk seemed to win over Skeeter. Ara briefly wondered if all she wanted was willing participants. Maybe she wouldn't write anything too horrible about her.

She glanced at James and Harry, both of whom were looking at her with wide eyes. James briefly shook his head, seemingly begging her not to do it.

"Of course," Rita said in a sickly-sweet voice, pulling out her quick quill notes.

Ara took a step back, heading over towards her friends. "you'll join us won't you?" she asked kindly.

Rita glanced back at Harry with a wry grin before walking with Ara.

"Oh look! It's Charlie Weasley…" Rita said causing Ara to cringe ahead of her. "What do you say I interview the two of you." Rita was already heading in their direction with Ara following quickly behind.

Ara stood on the opposite side of Rita as Charlie was.

"So what was it that you wanted to clear up?"

"Um…" Ara hesitated, avoiding looking at Charlie. "Well Charlie and I were never dating," she said quickly "while I can understand the assumption with what you witnessed, I can guarantee you that was a one-time thing."

She looked at Charlie to find only hurt and sadness on his face.

"Well what was the one-time thing?" she asked, her quick quill writing rapidly across the page despite the lack of speaking.

"Charlie is without a doubt handsome and charming and I was a bit upset after the dance, having gotten into a small argument with my date, so he asked me to dance in hopes of cheering me up. That was it," she said firmly.

"Well is that true Charlie?" Skeeter asked turning to the red-head. Charlie glanced towards Ara, a sad look in his eye.

"yes it is… We were never together, I saw the argument and thought she needed some comfort," he said softly. "I can assure you that was where it started and ended and it was started by me, not by Ara."

That was enough, and Ara knew it. There was very little that Skeeter could twist with that information. "I appreciate you clearing it up," Ara said before turning to leave.

"Ara, do you have a boyfriend?" Skeeter asked before she could leave.

Ara froze, having a boyfriend would certainly help people believe she wasn't with Charlie. It would help Charlie move on. If she could be with the right person, it could even help her get back into good graces with her Uncle.

"I do," she said quietly, turning back towards Skeeter. "I'm afraid we haven't exactly gone public yet." She glanced back at Charlie who was frowning, staring down at his hands. He seemed fine other than a slight flare to his nostrils that suggested he was angry.

"Well I can assure you your readers would be delighted to know who won the heart of the lead Triwizard champion."

Ara paused, glancing behind her towards her group of friends. They were all on their feet ready to move at a moments notice.

"Darling, I think it's alright that they know about us," the voice caused her to tense, it came from her side. She felt an arm go across her shoulders and she looked into the eyes of someone she would rather drown than date.

"I'm Noah Birch… Ara's boyfriend," he said, shaking hands with Rita Skeeter.

"Oh how sweet, very handsome," skeeter said with a flirty smile.

Ara glared at Birch but didn't say anything. She knew she could use this to her advantage. She would just have to remind him who was in charge in this charade.

"How long have you two been together?"

"We started dating January 5th, so only a couple of weeks," Ara responded quickly, wrapping her arm around Birch's waist.

"That was after the ball in which you to went together?" Skeeter asked a sly smile spreading on her face.

"yes we were set up by a mutual friend," Birch said "We hadn't met before the dance, but had an excellent time, a few days later I asked her out on a real date and she said yes."

"What was the argument about, if you don't mind me asking, that led to Ara being romantic with the Weasley boy.

"Oh," Ara began, her mind going back to the small argument, an argument that wasn't small at all.

"I'm afraid that was my fault," Birch began, giving Ara a slight squeeze and a guilty smile. "You see, I found myself falling very hard for Ara and she spent part of the night dancing with a close friend of hers and me being the jealous sort decided to prank her friend, which resulted in him leaving the dance and Ara becoming upset that I acted so childlike. A couple of days later we talked it out, I apologized and told her how I felt and things have been going great ever since," he said.

Ara was surprised, he was taking the blame for the incident. Sure it was a lie and not nearly as serious as the real argument had been, but he was still taking the blame and helping her protect her image.

"Thanks again Miss Skeeter, we look forward to seeing the article, but we really must be going," Ara said quickly grabbing Birch's hand and pulling him back towards the door.

They left the Three Broomsticks before they could be called back. When they were a safe distance away Ara rounded on him with the sternest glare she could muster.

"Explain," she said bluntly.

Birch sighed "Look I'll admit that you were right, and I really didn't go about the situation like I should have… But here we are, and not only do I need help, but you do as well. You need to look good to the press and I can help you with that. I can help you overcome the blunder with Weasley," he said, spitting at the name Weasley. "I can help you by acting to be your boyfriend… My family is well known in the ministry, but questionably dark so your uncle should approve. And in return, I'll be one step closer to being a Death Eater." He finished.

Ara sighed deeply "Why do you want to be a Death Eater?" she asked.

"I have my reasons." He said vaguely.

"You do know that the Dark Lord isn't even around right? He may actually be dead?" She suggested although she knew he wasn't. There were rumors that he was even back in the country.

"Yes, but he could return… and if he doesn't, someone will need to take his place, to finish what he started," he said passionately, causing a shiver to spread down Ara's spine. She wondered if he even really knew what the Dark Lord's goal was. Did he want to prove his dominance? Or simply be as powerful and as feared?

Birch was unremarkable when it came to magic, but he was dangerous in his thoughts. He agreed with the views of the Dark Lord, meaning that as he aged, he would be okay committing similar crimes. She didn't want to help him get closer to that world, but it was true that he could be beneficial to her, at least for a brief period of time.

"Fine," Ara said with a small shake of her head. "but there are some ground rules," she began. She continued when Birch nodded "you will not see anyone while we are together, and I mean _anyone_. No one cheats on Ara Lestrange, even if we aren't really dating. You will not belittle me, you will not try to command me, any unwanted spells and I will rip you to shreds mentally and physically, and anything we discuss privately stays a secret unless otherwise agreed… Lastly, we are not actually together, we be seen together, we go on dates, but neither of us are falling in love. Understood?"

Noah hesitated only briefly before nodding in acceptance. "What if we _accidently_ fall in love?" Birch asked with a sly grin.

Ara rolled her eyes "well I suppose we cross that bridge if it comes… "

It helped that she knew he would never fall in love with her. She had a strong suspicion that he was incapable of having emotions, incapable of feeling love.

"fine," he said with a smirk.

Ara sighed heavily, it wasn't what she wanted, but she was reminded of her Uncle and reminded it was one of those things that was needed. "Let's go back to the castle, you can walk me to my ship," she said, walking without waiting for him.

Birch caught up and grabbed her hand. The two of them walked without looking back, without noticing what had happened after they left.

* * *

Rita Skeeter had walked away with her cameraman, the two of them talking in hushed tones, her quick quill still taking notes rapidly. When they were at the other side of the room Charlie stood to leave but was stopped when his brother grabbed his arm.

"Not in here," Charlie snapped, heading towards the door.

"Mate," Sirius said, following them out. "She'd never date Birch, clearly something's going on."

Charlie and Bill were standing outside with the Potters, Sirius, and Lupin. Charlie was fidgeting uncomfortably as though he desperately wanted to leave, wanted to be alone.

"Of course, something's going on," Charlie said bitterly " _Birch_ Probably slipped her a love potion."

"Charlie… She seemed surprised when Birch said they were dating," Bill said, "I don't think they were dating before today."

"Why would she be so adamant we were never together?" Charlie couldn't keep the hurt from his voice. He missed her dearly, felt like a piece of him was missing. It was different, he'd been with many women and never been so upset at a break up. It made him mad at himself, mad for falling so quickly for someone with a reputation like hers.

"Because she was threatened," Sirius said softly.

"What?" Charlie asked, a hint of desperation in his voice. He had suspected something like that, but had never had it confirmed.

"Sirius," James said warningly, not wanting him to give too much information, considering they weren't entirely sure what happened.

Sirius sighed "we're not entirely sure what happened, but there was blood in my classroom and she had been hurt on the same day. She hasn't been the same since… she's avoided us as well so we think it probably had something to do with the article that came out about you two…" Sirius trailed off, unsure of what else to say.

"Damn it," Charlie said, running his hands through his hair. "That's why she didn't want anyone knowing about us… It was probably Lucius."

"That's what we thought," James said quietly.

"So now, she's dating a rapist, who already tried to hurt her once?" Charlie asked.

"What do you mean he's already tried hurting her?" Lily asked, matching the others confusion.

Charlie shook his head "The night of the Yule Ball, they were outside and he had her pinned against a wall and was threatening her… I mean she can handle her own, but still."

"What did she do?" he asked.

Charlie laughed "threw him against a pillar and told him he was pathetic," he said, not giving away what she had really said, how she threatened him and reminded him that her family was far more powerful than his.

"I suppose she can handle herself compared to most," Sirius said with a small smile. "She has a lot of natural power, easily more than her mother ever did."

"Charlie," came a voice with a thick Bulgarian accent from behind them.

"Anna," Charlie said surprised. She was followed closely by Connor and Kara, but they kept a safe distance, Connor watching Anna suspiciously.

Anna looked back at her friends, "Look, don't give up on Ara, okay?" she said quietly.

"Anna – " Connor started, but was cut off.

"No, Connor… stop being so damn loyal. You don't spend all of your time with her, you haven't seen what's happening." She turned back to Charlie "you're good for her and she so desperately wants to be away from her family, it's just hard for her."

Connor stepped forward and grabbed Anna's arm "We need to go Anna…"

Anna yanked her arm away "Are you kidding me Connor, are you really okay with what's happening? She looks like she's dying a little bit every single day, she's stopped eating, stopped taking care of herself… I haven't seen her truly smile in weeks. And Now she's going to act like she's with that Douche?"

Connor sighed and rubbed his hands across his face, "She'll never forgive you if you start to meddle," he said quietly.

"Look, if there's something we can do to help her we want to," Charlie said adamantly.

"There's nothing you can do," Connor said flatly.

"We can get her away from her family," James said "We can keep her safe."

"She won't let you," Connor said again, trying to pull Anna away from the group.

"Why are you so desperate to not let her receive help?" Sirius snarled. "I've been in situations similar to her –"

"No offense, to any of you, but you don't know the first thing about her… It's not that I don't want anyone to help her, but you'll only make things worse. She's an incredible witch who can take care of herself," he insisted, pulling Anna away from the group.

"She may be powerful, but everyone needs help at some point… Even Sirius needed help getting away from his family," James said.

Connor shook his head "You don't understand… if you knew her, anything about her, you wouldn't want to help her," he said mysteriously. "I've said too much, just stay away and let us take care of her… In six months she'll be out of school and hopefully out of the country away from her family and away from you."

Charlie watched as Anna looked up at him, unsure of what to say. She chose to not say anything but follow Connor as he began to walk back towards the castle.

"We'll find a way to help her," Bill said, clapping Charlie on the shoulder.

"What did he mean when he said, 'if you knew her you wouldn't want to help her?'" James asked, a frown on his face.

The others shrugged in response unsure of what to say about Ara Lestrange.

* * *

Ara was sitting in the library. She had decided it was time to sit down and figure out what the egg was all about. She couldn't focus in her dormitories, with her hovering and overprotective friends. She snuck out when they weren't listening and made her way to the library.

 _'_ _Come seek us where our voices sound,_  
 _We cannot sing above the ground,_  
 _And while you're searching, ponder this:_  
 _We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_  
 _An hour long you'll have to look,_  
 _And to recover what we took,_  
 _But past an hour – the prospect's black_  
 _Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.'_

She sighed, she knew it had to do with mermaids for they couldn't sing above the ground, hence the loud screeching noise coming from the egg.

"An hour long you'll have to look, to recover what we took," she whispered, staring at a book about mermaids. It sounded as though they would take something and hide it in the Black Lake and they had an hour to find it.

She wondered if it could really be that simple. Then there was the last part, Past an hour its gone and won't come back… Could they really take something and never return it?

There was the bauble head charm that allowed people to breath underwater for extended periods of time, so that wasn't particularly difficult.

She sighed again getting up and pulling out a book about Hogwarts. She figured if anything, she needed to figure out what was in the Black Lake that she should worry about.

"Ara," the voice was soft and broke her out of the book.

"Harry," she said softly. He looked different, worried almost.

He sat across from her, causing her to tense and glance around the room. He frowned and stared at her intently.

"what's up Harry?" she asked nervously.

Harry sighed "How well do you know Professor Snape?" he asked.

Ara frowned, that was not at all what she thought he would ask. She shrugged "quite well I suppose."

Harry nodded "Is he a Death Eater?" he asked in a whisper, Ara had to lean forward so she could hear him.

"What?" She asked startled.

"I was just wondering, I've asked my parents and they won't say."

Ara nodded "well he used to be," she said with a shrug. "But he switched sides," she wasn't entirely sure what happened with Severus, but she knew that was the excuse that kept him out of prison, when in reality he was a spying on Dumbledore for Voldemort.

Harry nodded "Do you know much about Mr. Crouch?" he asked.

Ara shook her head "I'm not sure… I know he was a big wig in the ministry, put many people into Azkaban… My parents included," she added nonchalantly.

Harry looked at her surprised but didn't ask anything.

"Why do ask Harry?"

"I was out after-hours last night and I…. walked… past Snape's office and Mr. Crouch was in there," he said, clearly hiding something.

"Was Severus in there as well?" she asked.

Harry shook his head "Just Crouch, which I thought was odd since he's been too ill to do anything as a judge…"

Ara frowned, it was interesting. She wondered what Severus would think if she knew that he had snuck into the office.

"I don't know Harry… Snape used to be a Death Eater, maybe Crouch was looking for something?" she asked, not really caring about the answer. This had been the first true conversation she had had with Harry and she found that she did truly miss him.

"There's just been weird stuff happening... my parents are worried but they won't talk about it."

Ara nodded "I know it has to be frustrating, but it'll all work out. We'll figure out what's going on in the end..."

Harry nodded, but didn't say anything more, it was clear he was worried and lost in thought.

"Harry, you've got to stop worrying. just focus on the task, focusing on living through it."

Harry snorted "If only it were that easy."

Ara smiled "it is that easy! first you figure out what the task is... then you research what you need to worry about... believe it or not they have a bunch of things called spells that are written in all of these books and those spells will help you stay alive."

Harry laughed "you may have a point."

"have you figured out the egg?" she asked.

Harry grimaced "More or less," he said.

Ara rolled her eyes "Did you take my advice?"

"Yes... that's why I was out after hours last night," he said.

Ara sighed and nodded, he really was pushing it to the last minute.

"So now, you find a way to breath under water and you ask that beloved father of yours what creatures live in the black lake... once you've done that, you tell me what creatures live in the lake and we can both practice spells." She flashed him a charming smile, causing him to laugh and roll his eyes.

His smile slowly fell from his face "Why do you seem so normal with me?"

"what do you mean?" she asked, although she knew exactly what he meant.

"You've just been a bit odd... you won't talk to anyone else in my family at all and you're with that jerk."

Ara was grateful that although he knew something was wrong, he had given her her space. "I'm fine, honest... I just need some space. I need to focus on my studies and the tournament and not worry about forming relationships or get distracted by other stuff," she said, looking back down at the book, the portrait of the young girl and the stag floating into her mind once more. "I really need to study," she said briskly.

Harry took the hint "I'll see you later," he said before leaving Ara to her work.

* * *

They were sneaking through the castle, Ara had once again escaped her classmates. They were following Harry who seemed to know where he was going and was very good at avoiding being seen. They all thought it was best that the four champions not be seen together, especially caring a stack of creature books.

They came to a blank wall, Harry simply stood staring at it.

"Mate, I hate to break it to you but there's nothing here," standing next to Harry, staring at the blank wall.

Harry turned around "Alright what i'm about to show you is a well guarded secret which i'd appreciate you not showing to anyone."

The other three champions nodded and Harry began pacing in front of the wall. After the third time, the wall began to change and a door appeared.

Harry smiled largely and opened the door, encouraging the others to walk in. They walked in hesitantly, all their eyes lighting up at the large room. There were plush chairs, several books that they didn't have and a small floor for practicing spells.

"How the bloody hell have I never seen this before?" Cedric asked, looking around the room in awe.

"It's called the room of requirement, it changes and reveals itself when someone is in need as whatever it is that they need. In our case, we needed a study room... and a practicing room."

"Hogwarts is brilliant," Ara said, a small hum of agreement coming from Fleur. The two girls took seats next to each other and began pulling out books while the guys sat across from them.

They spent the next few hours talking about creatures and practicing spells. They had shown Harry some new spells, and surprisingly Harry had shown them. When questioned, Harry had said that his Uncle Remus had always been fascinated by creatures. While they didn't discuss their specific plans, such as how they were going to breathe underwater, it was nice sharing spells with each other. It made it seem like they were all on the same level and that it'd be a real challenge to win the second task.

Harry had to leave before the other three, having an earlier 'return to your dorm' time than the 7th years. When it was just the other three there was a tense silence that came over them.

"Who is trying to kill 'im?" Fleur asked.

Ara shook her head "Could be anyone..."

"I don't know anyone in this damn school who would want him dead, at the very least not by entering him into a tournament."

"There are lots of people who hate Harry and who hate the Potters," Ara said. She knew full well that their list of enemies was large.

Cedric nodded "yes but the obvious ones wouldn't want to give him a chance at eternal glory."

Ara nodded "So who isn't obvious?"

Cedric shrugged "Karkaroff and no offense, but Draco are the only ones who truly seem to hate him... well and Snape."

Ara sighed and shook her head "Karkaroff is too stupid to figure out how to trick the cup and Draco doesn't truly hate Harry, he was just bitter because Harry hurt his feelings in their first year.. and he certainly wouldn't be able to hoodwink it... as for Snape, I think he's smart enough, but I don't know that he wants him dead. From what I hear, he saved Harry in his first year? Why not just let him die?"

Cedric shrugged "Who else is it then?"

"Who is new zis year?" Fleur asked. "Eet probably isn't someone zat had ze chance to kill him before."

She brought up a good point, it probably was someone new.

"The arithmancy teacher is new," Cedric said "But she doesn't teach Harry... and Mad eye is new, but he and the Potters go way back. He's a celebrated auror"

Ara sighed "I don't know, Moody gives me the creeps, but he does hate my family."

Cedric nodded "Well whoever it is, we've got to keep him alive."

the two girls nodded and it was a silent promise that each of them would do their best to get him into the tournament. Sure they all wanted to win, but if they could save Harry in the process, they would.


	14. Chapter 14

The morning of the second task was a cold morning. Ara wondered briefly why this task had to be the second one, why couldn't they wait until May to have this task. She sighed and looked around, there were large stands along the bank of the Black Lake. Hundreds of people were clambering onto them, it seemed to be more people than had been present at the first task.

Ara made her way to the other two champions, Harry had yet to arrive. The three of them stood in silence, waiting for instructions, and waiting for Harry.

Ara glanced around the stands, hoping to see Draco before the task. She saw a flash of blond near the judges' tent, but tensed when saw that it wasn't Draco, but her uncle. She took a deep breath doing her best to push down the knot that was tightening in her stomach.

Harry came running to the others, skidding and accidentally splashing mud onto Fleur's robes, causing her to scowl.

"Sorry I'm late," he said quickly.

"Where have you been?" said a bossy, disapproving voice. "The task's about to start!"

Ara looked around. Percy Weasley was sitting at the judges' table - Mr. Crouch had failed to turn up again.

"Now, now, Percy!" said Ludo Bagman, who was looking intensely relieved to see Harry. "Let him catch his breath!"

Dumbledore smiled at Harry, but Karkaroff and Madame Maxime didn't look at all pleased to see him. ... It was obvious from the looks on their faces that they had thought he wasn't going to turn up.

Harry bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath; Ludo Bagman was now moving among the champions, spacing them along the bank at intervals of ten feet. The champions had stripped their robes and were each wearing swimming suites. Ara stood between Harry and Fleur, she had her wand in her hand and was taking deep breaths.

"All right. Harry?" Bagman whispered as he moved Harry a few feet farther away from Ara. "Know what you're going to do?"

"Yeah," Harry panted, massaging his ribs.

Bagman gave Harry's shoulder a quick squeeze and returned to the judges' table; he pointed his wand at his throat as he had done at the World Cup, said, "Sonorus!" and his voice boomed out across the dark water toward the stands.

"Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle.

They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One . . . two . . . three!"

The whistle echoed shrilly in the cold, still air; the stands erupted with cheers and applause; without looking to see what the other champions were doing, Ara pointed her wand on herself, whispered a small spell and felt a bubble form on her mouth. Without waiting for the others, she dove, arms first, into the water.

It was so cold she felt the skin on her legs searing as though this were fire, not icy water. She whispered a spell once more and felt her skin begin to warm a small amount.

Silence pressed upon her ears as she swam over a strange, dark, foggy landscape. She could only see ten feet around her, so that as she sped through the water new scenes seemed to loom suddenly out of the incoming darkness: forests of rippling, tangled black weed, wide plains of mud littered with dull, glimmering stones. She swam deeper and deeper, out toward the middle of the lake, her eyes wide, staring through the eerily gray-lit water around her to the shadow beyond, where the water became opaque.

Small fish flickered past her like silver darts. Once or twice she thought she saw something larger moving ahead of her, but when she got nearer, she discovered it to be nothing but a large, blackened log, or a dense clump of weed. There was no sign of any of the other champions, merpeople, nor, thankfully, anything else too dangerous.

Ara continued to swim, unsure of what direction to head. The lake was huge, it seemed impossible to be able to locate a hidden object within an hour. It was only a short while later that Ara heard a scream, cutting through the water lightning. She turned around, hoping that it wasn't another champion.

She swam for nearly a minute before she saw it, flailing arms and a swarm of skeletal grindyllows, attempting to pull down Fleur. Ara pulled out her wand and pointed it at the small creature sending out a jet of light that hit the creature in the chest, surprisingly causing it to break away. She wasn't expecting it to work, she knew that the only way to stop a grindyllow was to break its grip.

She shot the spell over and over again, following them as they dragged her down. Fleur seemed to catch on that her arms were free and she started grabbing at the Grindyllows, breaking their grip.

Fleur smiled in gratitude briefly, but it was short lived as there was another swarm that managed to catch hold of Ara as well, pulling her deeper and away from Fleur. She started grabbing and breaking their fingers, but every time she got one, there was another that appeared. She continued to fight until her entire body seized up and she was forced to give up. She cursed silently, of course this would happen now, remnants of her uncle's curse still coming back to hurt her.

the lake got darker every second, she found herself unable to make out shapes or colors unless they were right in front of her. She figured she must have been near the bottom of the lake when she regained the use of her limbs. She started fighting off the Grindyllows once more, snapping as many grips as she could.

Before she knew what was happening, the Grindyllows were gone, swimming quickly in every direction away from her. The temperature in the lake seemed to drop to alarmingly low levels. Even with her bubble of air, Ara was finding it harder and harder to breath.

She pulled out her wand, panicking when she saw a giant serpent like body. It was easily 13 meters in length. Its body was dark and scaly with a pure black head and piercing yellow eyes. Ara's breath hitched when she saw sharp fangs coming from its mouth.

She began swimming as fast as she could away from the creature. She didn't know what it was, she had never read anything about it and certainly hadn't seen it in the book about Hogwarts' Black Lake Creatures. Without fighting it, she figured her best bet was to get away as quickly as she could.

She wasn't quick enough, for as she was swimming, she brushed the creatures' tail, causing its head to whip back and its piercing yellow eyes to look at hers.

The creature's tail wrapped around Ara, constricting until she could hardly breath. With her wand in her hand she whispered every spell she knew, but it did no good. While the creature flinched on occasion, it never released its grip.

Its face was next to hers "stop," she said, her voice strained from being squeezed. The creature tilted its head as though it understood her "must kill the champion" it hissed, before showing its fangs and striking once, its teeth imbedding themselves in Ara's shoulder, causing her to scream out in pain.

She could feel herself bleeding out, her vision was fading, her muscles constricting. With her wand still in her hand, she pointed it at the creature. His mouth was open ready to strike once more, "sectumsempra," she whispered. The jet of light shot through the water and hit the monster in the back of the throat, causing long gashes and spurts of black blood to flow in the water. The constriction began to lessen on Ara, but she wasted no time in shooting the curse twice more, causing more gashes to appear in the creatures' scaly skin. As the creature began to sink, Ara did her best to swim towards the surface. She didn't know how long she had been, but she was certain it had been well over an hour. She silently thanked Severus… It was a spell he taught her to use if she were ever to be attacked. It had certainly come in handy. She found it getting more challenging to stay awake, blood was still pouring from the wound in her shoulder. She silently hoped that it wouldn't attract any other sea creatures. The water was beginning to be lighter, but her body was feeling weaker. She froze as she saw a dark figure approaching her, wand in her hand ready to attack, but she stopped herself when she saw that it wasn't a monster, but a person, or rather, a merperson. She was a ferocious looking female who wore a crown of sorts upon her head. Ara's brain was muddled, but she assumed she must have been the chief merperson. She grabbed Ara around the waist and began to pull her upwards towards the surface of the water.

When they were above water the bubble around Ara's mouth popped and she gulped mouthfuls of air. The merperson pulled her to the surface, Ara wanted to pull away and swim herself, but her muscles wouldn't cooperate. When they reached the bank of the water, she felt two arms reach down and pull her up, helping her lie on the deck.

Her vision was blurry, but she could see the long white hair and beard of Albus Dumbledore. It was only a moment before he was joined by Madame Pomphrey as she began running diagnostic charms and started healing her shoulder.

Ara let the mediwitch work, she lied on her back still, her vision going in and out. She could hear whispers around her, but couldn't get herself to figure out what they were saying.

Dumbledore leaned over her once more and gave her a kind smile "You need to sleep, child," he said.

Ara couldn't get herself to argue, instead she closed her eyes and let the darkness take her.

* * *

Harry had been swimming for a while when he came across moaning Myrtle. She had pointed him in a direction and while he felt slightly guilty at taking the advice, he wanted to be out of the water.

Harry gave her the thumbs-up to show his thanks and set off once more, careful to swim a bit higher over the weed to avoid any more grindylows that might be lurking there.

He swam on for what felt like at least twenty minutes. He was passing over vast expanses of black mud now, which swirled murkily as he disturbed the water. Then, at long last, he heard a snatch of haunting mersong.

"An hour long you'll have to look, And to recover what we took..."

Harry swam faster and soon saw a large rock emerge out of the muddy water ahead. It had paintings of merpeople on it; they were carrying spears and chasing what looked like the giant squid. Harry swam on past the rock, following the mersong.

". . . your time's half gone, so tarry not Lest what you seek stays here to rot. ..."

A cluster of crude stone dwellings stained with algae loomed suddenly out of the gloom on all sides. Here and there at the dark windows, Harry saw faces… faces that bore no resemblance at all to the painting of the mermaid in the prefects' bathroom.

The merpeople had grayish skin and long, wild, dark green hair. Their eyes were yellow, as were their broken teeth, and they wore thick ropes of pebbles around their necks. They leered at Harry as he swam past; one or two of them emerged from their caves to watch him better, their powerful, silver fish tails beating the water, spears clutched in their hands.

Harry sped on, staring around, and soon the dwellings became more numerous; there were gardens of weed around some of them, and he even saw a pet grindylow tied to a stake outside one door. Merpeople were emerging on all sides now, watching him eagerly, pointing at his webbed hands and gills, talking behind their hands to one another. Harry sped around a corner and a very strange sight met his eyes.

A whole crowd of merpeople was floating in front of the houses that lined what looked like a mer-version of a village square. A choir of merpeople was singing in the middle, calling the champions toward them, and behind them rose a crude sort of statue; a gigantic merperson hewn from a boulder. Four people were bound tightly to the tail of the stone merperson.

Ron was tied between Draco and Cho Chang. There was also a girl who looked no older than eight, whose clouds of silvery hair made Harry feel sure that she was Fleur Delacour's sister. All four of them appeared to be in a very deep sleep. Their heads were lolling onto their shoulders, and fine streams of bubbles kept issuing from their mouths.

Harry sped toward the hostages, half expecting the merpeople to lower their spears and charge at him, but they did nothing. The ropes of weed tying the hostages to the statue were thick, slimy, and very strong. For a fleeting second, he thought of the knife Sirius had bought him for Christmas - locked in his trunk in the castle a quarter of a mile away, no use to him whatsoever.

He looked around. Many of the merpeople surrounding them were carrying spears. He swam swiftly toward a seven-foot-tall merman with a long green beard and a choker of shark fangs and tried to mime a request to borrow the spear. The merman laughed and shook his head.

"We do not help," he said in a harsh, croaky voice.

"Come ON!" Harry said fiercely (but only bubbles issued from his mouth), and he tried to pull the spear away from the merman, but the merman yanked it back, still shaking his head and laughing.

Harry swirled around, staring about. Something sharp . . . anything . . .

There were rocks littering the lake bottom. He dived and snatched up a particularly jagged one and returned to the statue. He began to hack at the ropes binding Ron, and after several minutes' hard work, they broke apart. Ron floated, unconscious, a few inches above the lake bottom, drifting a little in the ebb of the water.

Harry looked around. There was no sign of any of the other champions. What were they playing at? Why didn't they hurry up? He turned back to the other contestants and glanced around for their champions. He raised the jagged rock and began to hack at Cho's bindings too -At once, several pairs of strong gray hands seized him. Half a dozen mermen were pulling him away from Cho, shaking their green-haired heads, and laughing.

"You take your own hostage," one of them said to him. "Leave the others ..."

"No way!" said Harry furiously - but only two large bubbles came out.

Your task is to retrieve your own friend . . . leave the others ..." She's my friend too!" Harry yelled, gesturing toward Cho, an enormous silver bubble emerging soundlessly from his lips. "And I don't want them to die either!"

Cho's head was on Draco's shoulder; the small silver-haired girl was ghostly green and pale. Harry struggled to fight off the mermen, but they laughed harder than ever, holding him back. Harry looked wildly around. Where were the other champions? Would he have time to take Ron to the surface and come back down for Cho and the others?

Would he be able to find them again? He looked down at his watch to see how much time was left - it had stopped working.

But then the merpeople around him pointed excitedly over his head. Harry looked up and saw Cedric swimming toward them. There was an enormous bubble around his head, which made his features look oddly wide and stretched.

"Got lost!" he mouthed, looking panic-stricken. "Fleur and Ara coming now!"

Feeling enormously relieved, Harry watched Cedric pull a knife out of his pocket and cut Cho free. He pulled her upward and out of sight.

Harry looked around, waiting. Where were Fleur and Ara? Time was getting short, and according to the song, the hostages would be lost after an hour...

Now what? Harry thought desperately. If he could be sure that Fleur was coming... and Ara

But still no sign. There was nothing to be done except...

He held up the stone, but the mermen now closed in around Ron, Draco, and the little girl, shaking their heads at him. Harry pulled out his wand.

"Get out of the way!"

Only bubbles flew out of his mouth, but he had the distinct impression that the mermen had understood him, because they suddenly stopped laughing. Their yellowish eyes were fixed upon Harry's wand, and they looked scared. There might be a lot more of them than there were of him, but Harry could tell, by the looks on their faces, that they knew no more magic than the giant squid did.

"You've got until three!" Harry shouted; a great stream of bubbles burst from him, but he held up three fingers to make sure they got the message. "One . . ." (he put down a finger) "two . . ." (he put down a second one) -They scattered. Harry darted forward and began to hack at the ropes binding the small girl to the statue, and at last she was free. He seized the little girl around the waist, grabbed the neck of Rons robes, and kicked off from the bottom.

It was very slow work. He could no longer use his webbed hands to propel himself forward; he worked his flippers furiously, but Ron, Draco, and Fleur's sister were like potato-filled sacks dragging him back down. ... He fixed his eyes skyward, though he knew he must still be very deep, the water above him was so dark, . . .

Merpeople were rising with him. He could see them swirling around him with ease, watching him struggle through the water. .. . Would they pull him back down to the depths when the time was up? Did they perhaps eat humans? Harry's legs were seizing up with the effort to keep swimming; his shoulders were aching horribly with the effort of dragging the three people...

He was drawing breath with extreme difficulty. He could feel pain on the sides of his neck again ... he was becoming very aware of how wet the water was in his mouth .. . yet the darkness was definitely thinning now... he could see daylight above him.. ..

He kicked hard with his flippers and discovered that they were nothing more than feet...water was flooding through his mouth into his lungs ... he was starting to feel dizzy, but he knew light and air were only ten feet above him ... he had to get there ...

he had to ...

Harry kicked his legs so hard and fast it felt as though his muscles were screaming in protest; his very brain felt waterlogged, he couldn't breathe, he needed oxygen, he had to keep going, he could not stop -And then he felt his head break the surface of the lake; wonderful, cold, clear air was making his wet face sting; he gulped it down, feeling as though he had never breathed properly before, and, panting, pulled Ron, Draco and the little girl up with him. All around him, wild, green-haired heads were emerging out of the water with him, but they were smiling at him.

The crowd in the stands was making a great deal of noise; shouting and screaming, they all seemed to be on their feet; Harry had the impression they thought that Ron and the little girl might be dead, but they were wrong . . . both of them had opened their eyes; the girl looked scared and confused, but Ron merely expelled a great spout of water, blinked in the bright light, turned to Harry, and said, "Wet, this, isn't it?" Then he spotted Fleur's sister and Draco. "What did you bring her for? And Malfoy?"

"Neither Ara or Fleur turned up, I couldn't leave them," Harry panted.

"Harry, you prat," said Ron, "you didn't take that song thing seriously, did you? Dumbledore wouldn't have let any of us drown!"

"The song said -"

"It was only to make sure you got back inside the time limit!" said Ron. "I hope you didn't waste time down there acting the hero!"

Harry felt both stupid and annoyed. It was all very well for Ron; he'd been asleep, he hadn't felt how eerie it was down in the lake, surrounded by spear-carrying merpeople who'd looked more than capable of murder.

"C'mon," Harry said shortly, "help me with her, I don't think she can swim very well."

They pulled Fleur's sister through the water, Draco was swimming ahead of them, glancing back nervously. Twenty merpeople accompanying them like a guard of honor, singing their horrible screechy songs.

Harry could see Madam Pomfrey fussing over Cedric and Cho, both of whom were wrapped in thick blankets.

Dumbledore and Ludo Bagman stood beaming at Harry and Ron from the bank as they swam nearer, but Percy, who looked very white and somehow much younger than usual, came splashing out to meet them. Meanwhile Madame Maxime was trying to restrain Fleur Delacour, who was quite hysterical, fighting tooth and nail to return to the water.

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she 'urt?"

"She's fine!" Harry tried to tell her, but he was so exhausted he could hardly talk, let alone shout.

Percy seized Ron and was dragging him back to the bank ("Gerroff, Percy, I'm all right!"); Dumbledore and Bagman were pulling Harry upright; Fleur had broken free of Madame Maxime and was hugging her sister.

"It was ze grindylows . . . zey attacked me ... oh Gabrielle, I thought... I thought.. ."

"Come here, you," said Madam Pomfrey. She seized Harry and pulled him over to the others, wrapped him so tightly in a blanket that he felt as though he were in a straitjacket, and forced a measure of very hot potion down his throat. Steam gushed out of his ears.

"Harry, well done!" Lily cried running over to her son and pulling him into a tight hug.

"Mum," Harry said, looking around at the other contestants. He started to grow worried, he didn't see Ara anywhere.

He glanced at Draco who was standing, pushing Madame Pomphrey away, looking at the lake.

"She should be up by now," he insisted to his father, who had come over to greet him.

"I'm sure she'll be fine son," Lucius said, no concern evident in his voice.

"Like you would care!" Draco shouted, pushing him away. "You don't give a damn about her –"

"Draco enough," Lucius whispered threateningly.

"Did you find us okay," Ron asked Harry, pulling his attention away from Draco and his father.

"Yeah," he said, his feeling of stupidity was growing. Now he was out of the water, it seemed perfectly clear that Dumbledore's safety precautions wouldn't have permitted the death of a hostage just because their champion hadn't turned up. Why hadn't he just grabbed Ron and gone? He would have been first back... Cedric hadn't wasted time worrying about anyone else; they hadn't taken the mersong seriously. ...

Dumbledore was crouching at the water's edge, deep in conversation with what seemed to be the chief merperson. He had a deep frown; his normally sparkling eyes were dim. He was making the same sort of screechy noises that the merpeople made when they were above water; clearly, Dumbledore could speak Mermish. After a few moments, the merperson went back down into the lake and Dumbledore straightened before turning back to the other judges.

They whispered quietly amongst themselves, all of them glancing frequently at the water, Harry assumed they were looking for the missing champion.

"Where is she?" Harry asked Lily who still had one arm wrapped tightly around him.

"She hasn't come up yet," she said, not needing to ask who he was talking about. James and Sirius joined the other two, Sirius looked haggard, staring at the lake with a bleak expression.

"She saved me," Fleur said, still holding tight to Gabrielle. "I was attacked by ze grindylows and zen zey started pulling her under. I lost my air bubble and couldn't get back to her." Fleur seemed worried, she was staring at the water with a guilty expression.

It was then that the Chief merperson broke the surface of the lake, pulling Ara with her. Ara was deathly pale and hardly moving. The bubble that had been around her popped when she hit the surface of the water and she looked to be struggling to take a breath. Harry watched as Draco ran to the edge of the bank, running shaky hands through his wet, blonde hair. Dumbledore also met them at the edge of the lake and helped pull Ara onto the deck when she arrived.

She was conscious, but barely, she moved only slightly as Madame Pomphrey examined her. Harry saw blood pool beneath her and beside him he felt Sirius move to make his way towards her. Glancing at his godfather he saw that his dad held him back, nodding his head towards the Malfoys. It wouldn't be in Ara's best interest to have Sirius or the Potters seem too concerned.

Dumbledore whispered to Ara once more before Ara went completely limp. They pulled out a stretcher and helped Ara onto it. Madame Pomphrey and Snape began floating the stretcher back towards the castle, Narcissa Malfoy hurrying along beside it.

Dumbledore began whispering to the Chief Merperson once again and when he was finished the judges went into a huddle. Lily had taken over for Madame Pomphrey and had gone to rescue Ron from Percy's clutches; she led him over to Harry and the others, gave him a blanket and some Pepperup Potion, then came back to fetch Fleur and her sister. Fleur had many cuts on her face and arms and her robes were torn, but she didn't seem to care, nor would she allow Lily to clean them.

"Look after Gabrielle," she told her, and then she turned to Harry. "You saved 'er," she said breathlessly. "Even though she was not your 'ostage."

"Yeah," said Harry, who was now heartily wishing he'd left the others tied to the statue.

Fleur bent down, kissed Harry twice on each cheek (he felt his face burn and wouldn't have been surprised if steam was coming out of his ears again), then said to Ron, "And you too-you 'elped -"

"Yeah," said Ron, looking extremely hopeful, "yeah, a bit -"

Fleur swooped down on him too and kissed him. Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice boomed out beside them, making them all jump, and causing the crowd in the stands to go very quiet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows...

"Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage.

We award her twenty-five points."

Applause from the stands.

"I deserved zero," said Fleur throatily, shaking her magnificent head.

"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour." Enormous cheers from the Hufflepuffs in the crowd; Harry saw Cho give Cedric a glowing look. "We therefore award him forty-seven points."

Harrys heart sank. If Cedric had been outside the time limit, he most certainly had been.

"Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued. "He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own."

"Most of the judges," and here, Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look, "feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However... Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."

"lastly, I'm sure you are all wondering about Ara Lestrange… Lestrange also used the bubble-head charm, quite effectively as even in distress it did not burst. She helped save Fleur from the Grindyllows before being attacked by them herself. She was then pulled very deep into the lake where she came across a dangerous creature that even we did not know of… She barely managed to escape with her life, but did successfully take down the creature that has recently killed many merpeople, making the Black Lake safer than it was before… For this, we award her 35 points, although she was unable to rescue her hostage."

The stadium went silent, processing the information. Harry glanced at Draco who was now sitting with a thick blanket around him, having accepted one from Lily who was quietly trying to comfort him while Lucius was occupied.

Harry shook his head, how could they let the champions into a lake where something so dangerous lived?

"As it stands after the first two tasks, in last place is Miss Delacour with 60 points… In second place is Miss Ara Lestrange, with 84 points, and tied for first place is Mr. Harry Potter and Mr. Cedric Diggory with 85 points."

Harry's stomach leapt - he was now tying for first place with Cedric. Ron, caught by surprise, stared at Harry, then laughed and started applauding hard with the rest of the crowd.

"There you go Harry!" Ron shouted over the noise. "You weren't being thick after all -you were showing moral fiber!"

Fleur was clapping very hard too, grateful to Harry for saving her sister, even if she was never in any danger.

"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June," continued Bagman. "The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."

It was over. Harry thought dazedly, as the Professors began herding the champions and hostages back to the castle to get into dry clothes ... it was over, he had got through ... he didn't have to worry about anything now until June the twenty-fourth… As long as Ara was okay, that was.

He was standing near the castle with his parents around him when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"Thanks Potter," Malfoy said. Harry could tell he was worried, he glanced up at the castle as if there were no where he'd rather be than with his cousin. "I know we weren't in any real danger," he said "but I also know you thought we were, so thanks," he said reaching out his hand.

The situation was vastly different than it had been during their first year. Harry smiled and grasped Draco's hand. He knew they weren't friends, but part of him believed that they weren't enemies either.

"She'll be alright… She's the strongest person I've ever met," Harry said honestly, ignoring the proud smile of his mother and the shocked face of his father.

Draco sighed heavily and looked over to where Lucius was standing, speaking with Karkaroff, both of them had their backs to them.

"You don't know the half of it," he said "I just don't know how much more she can take…" he said sadly.

He pulled away as Lucius turned around and walked back up towards the castle without another word.

Harry glanced at his parents and shook his head "don't say anything," he said, causing the others to laugh.

"Wouldn't dream of it son," James said, patting Harry on the back.

Ara woke up, a dull pain spreading along the entirety of her right side. She groaned but sat up. She was in the hospital wing and it appeared to be day time. She wondered if the last task had just ended or if it had been a while.

As if reading her mind her Aunt said, "you've been asleep for a day." Her voice was soft and soothing, Ara forgot how much she missed her.

Ara shook her head "What on earth happened?" she asked.

"Why don't you tell us," Narcissa suggested. Ara looked around the room and was relieved to find that Lucius wasn't there. Her Aunt was on one side while Draco sat on the other.

Ara sighed and shrugged "I was swimming and Fleur was being attacked by Grindylows, so I helped her break free, but there were so many…" She trailed off, her mind going back to the lake, back to the monster.

"Yes?" Her Aunt encouraged "then what?"

"they got ahold of me and started dragging me down to the bottom of the lake… I couldn't move," she said, unsure of how to explain that her body seized up in the same way it had been for the last month. "and there was this giant monster at the bottom of the lake… All the Grindylows swam away like they were afraid of it and it wrapped its body around me and started squeezing and it bit me… I used every spell I could think of and finally I managed to get it to release me… Then I swam away," she finished.

She was pretty sure she killed the monster if the gashes were anything to go by, but she wasn't sure.

"Why couldn't you move?" Draco asked, catching on to that part of the story. People didn't give Draco enough credit, he was intelligent and inquisitive, even if arrogant.

Ara shrugged once more "I was being attacked –"

"Connor said there are times when you can't walk at all, like all your muscles stiffen up and you fall over…"

Ara shook her head "of course not – "

"It started after the Yule Ball, when you were in the hospital wing –"

"No Draco – " Ara said, begging him to stop, not wanting to discuss this. Narcissa was looking suspiciously between the two of them.

"Yes Ara," Draco said, being louder with every word "It happened after you were attacked! He did something to you so now you have seizures of sort –"

"Enough Draco," Ara said firmly, cutting off the rest of his sentence. "Do not speak of what you do not know."

"What's going on," Narcissa asked, her frown deepening. "What happened after the Yule Ball?"

"Noth-"

"Why don't you tell someone Ara!?" Draco shouted, jumping to his feet. "Tell someone what that Bastard did to yo-"

"I said ENOUGH," Ara yelled, her magic forcing Draco into his seat.

His eyes were wide, she had never lost her temper with him. Narcissa's expression matched Draco's fairly well, except her eyes were softer.

"We are done discussing this," she said firmly.

Neither of the others said another word, but Draco sat and scowled at his cousin. Ara pretended to take no notice but laid there until Madame Pomphrey came out to give her potions.

It was later in the day when Lucius returned. He was accompanied by Karkaroff who explained the scoring and explained that Ara was in 2nd place, but Harry and Cedric were tied for first. He seemed disappointed, but Ara didn't care in the least. She was simply happy to be alive.

It was after dinner when the hospital doors opened once more, and Ara had to hold back a groan at the sight of Noah Birch.

"Darling," he said as he approached the bed. "I was worried."

Ara resisted rolling her eyes, she knew he wasn't concerned in the slightest. "I'm alright," she said.

Birch reached forward and grabbed her hand, sitting at her bedside.

"Noah, I'd like you to meet my aunt and uncle," She said gesturing to the two adults in the room. "Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy of the most noble house of Malfoy," she recited. "You of course know my cousin Draco," she said.

Draco wore a deep frown glancing between Birch and Ara as though he still didn't quite believe it.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Birch said shaking each of their hands. "I'm Noah Birch… I'm absolutely crazy about your niece," he said with a charming smile, glancing at Ara.

"I didn't realize you were seeing anyone," Narcissa said with a small smile.

Ara returned the smile "yes we started dating a couple of weeks ago… Edwin set us up prior to the Yule Ball, but we just made it official," she explained.

"What house are you in Noah?" Lucius asked. Ara knew there were other more important questions, but he would wait until he was gone to ask her them.

"Slytherin, of course," Birch said.

Lucius nodded in appreciation but didn't ask any further questions.

They visited for a short while, Birch recounting what happened at the Lake while both Ara and Draco were in it. He left after an hour, leaving Ara to her family.

"What's his lineage?" Lucius asked immediately, a question Ara knew would come.

"his mum's pureblood and his dad's half-blood. I believe his grandparents worked for Grindelwald," she added.

Lucius nodded once more "well done," he said. Ara knew what he meant, well done for ditching Charlie, well done for finding an evil person to be with, well done for forgetting love and following politics. It made her sick.

"We must be going, we'll see you before the third task," Lucius said. Narcissa seemed upset but stood up to leave with her husband.

She bent over and kissed Ara on the forehead "be safe," she whispered.

Lucius patted her on the shoulder and gave Draco a handshake before the two of them left.

Ara looked at Draco when it was only the two of them. Draco shook his head "you were happier with Weasley," he said before standing and leaving Ara alone to her thoughts.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Madame Pomphrey wasn't quite so easy to convince to let Ara go the next day. She had discovered that Ara had been struggling with after effects of the cruciatus and told her to stay so she could run more tests.

Madame Pomphrey was at the other end of the room, looking over some paper that had something to do with Ara. Dumbledore and Snape were with her, both wearing frowns.

She sighed deeply, she would be fine.

The three of them made their way over to her bed, all adorned with similar frowns. Severus's was different though, his eyes had hidden anger.

"The way the three of you look, you'd figure I was dying," Ara said, her voice gruff from lack of use.

Dumbledore smiled "of course not my dear. We were simply hoping you could tell us about the creature you encountered in the Black Lake," he finished.

Severus shot him a look that suggested that was not what he had been planning on asking.

Ara frowned "well it was large, maybe 13 meters... er… it was scaly and had a black head with yellow eyes… and fangs," she added with a grimace, remembering the sight of the beast.

"I've never heard of such a thing…" Madame Pomphrey said. "and I've never seen marking such as these," she gestured towards the bandaged gash on Ara's shoulder.

Dumbledore looked thoughtful "I'll check with Charlie Weasley and possibly his director to see if they know what it is… I may also send word to a friend in America who may have more information."

Ara nodded "I've never read anything about it… Is it dead?" she asked hesitantly.

Dumbledore nodded "The chief merperson informed me that it is indeed dead… they are eternally grateful to you."

Ara shook her head "I was just trying to survive," she said simply.

"you still can't take a compliment, can you?" Severus said exasperatedly.

Ara rolled her eyes "it's not that, they just shouldn't be too grateful… I didn't do it on purpose." She didn't want their appreciation, she didn't go down there intending to save them, she went down there for a tournament task and the only reason she killed it was because it was either kill or be killed. She would have been perfectly fine with leaving it for the merpeople to defeat.

"Whether it was intentional or not, they are immensely grateful," Dumbledore said with a small smile, his eyes twinkling.

"Alright then," she said uncomfortably.

"Now the other matter we need to discuss is your healing," Dumbledore said, gesturing to Madame Pomphrey to continue.

"you're not healing fully from the last time we visited you… How long have you been having brief paralysis and seizures?" she asked accusingly.

Ara shrugged "since you last saw me," she said nonchalantly.

"What happened last time for you to end up in this position?" Snape asked, but with one glance Ara suspected that he already had a suspicion.

"I'm afraid that's personal," she said plainly.

"Who attacked you Ara?" Snape asked looking at Ara intently. She felt a tug at her mind but pushed back strongly blocking him out.

"That's rude Uncle Sev," she called him by his old name, the one she had used for him when she was young. He looked at her briefly surprised before his lips twitched into a half smile.

"Glad to see all that time I spent training you didn't go to waste."

Ara rolled her eyes and leaned back into her bed.

"Miss Lestrange, we do need to see if we can do something about your sei-"

"I don't see why," Ara said, cutting off the mediwitch mid-sentence. "I can get further assistance when the tournament is over."

"The after effects have already almost cost you your life," Dumbledore said.

"But they didn't," Ara said. "They don't last long, it was plenty of time for me to gain my strength back."

"But you were in an unnecessary situation," Snape said, looking at her intently.

"Alright," Ara said finally looking down at her hands. "But I won't stay locked up in some infirmary," she said.

"It will take some researching," Dumbledore said. "All we ask is to run some tests today so that we can look further into it," he said calmly.

Ara nodded in agreement and allowed them poke and prod at her. Dumbledore said goodbye and let Madame Pomphrey and Snape take control. Together they used spells to run tests and took several vials of blood. When they were finished, they told Ara she could return to the ship as long as she returned once every other day for a check up.

Ara made to leave the room quickly but was stopped in the hallway by Snape.

"It's Monday, I'm sure I'll see you tonight for your lesson?" he asked.

Ara paused "yes of course," she said politely.

"I'll see you at seven then," he said before turning and heading back into the hospital wing.

Ara sighed, her shoulder was aching and she was tired. One thing she knew for certain was that she wasn't prepared for the mental battle that was sure to occur that night.

* * *

She hadn't gotten much rest given the onslaught of questions that came towards her when she got back to the ship. She was therefore more exhausted than she had been when she was released from the hospital wing.

She made her way to the castle and down the steps to the dungeons where Severus's office was. She knocked softly, knowing full well he would know she was there even if she hadn't knocked.

"Enter," he called from behind the closed door.

Ara went in and sat in the chair in front of his desk. He was sitting and grading papers, not bothering to look up when she entered.

"Tell me how much you know about legilimens." he said plainly, eyes still focused on the student papers beneath him.

"well… it is when a person enters the mind of someone else and interprets their thoughts and feelings," she said simply.

Snape glanced up at her "that was basic," he said.

Ara sighed, taking the hint. "Some people are born with the ability to extract another's emotions, feelings, and thoughts while others have to use magic to do the same. People who are experienced in it are able to do so without spell and generally without being noticed, while people who lack the extent of power needed or who are less experienced often need a spell and are unable to understand or interpret the information accurately," she said.

"Better," Snape said, finally putting down his pen and moving the stack of parchment to the side. "the mind is highly complicated and very difficult to understand. It consists of many layers and a skilled legilimens is able to sypher through those layers and accurately interpret them to understand thoughts and feelings… There are always – special- cases with legilimency, such as a person born with the ability or such as a person being powerful enough to actually alter another's thoughts," he said

Ara frowned "altering another's thoughts… wouldn't that be like the imperius?"

Snape shook his head "it isn't so much erasing a person's thoughts and controlling their mind to get them to do what you want, it's making them think something and then them acting of their own free will,"

"Like planting ideas?"

Severus nodded "I suppose. But I've only ever known one person to be able to do that and it's not something I can show you."

Ara nodded, it wasn't necessarily something she needed or desired to learn. It was an extreme form of manipulation and while she appreciated that manipulation played its part, she felt that people should do it honestly, well at least not trick the person.

"Who is it that can do that?" She asked after a moment.

"The Dark Lord," he said plainly.

Ara frowned but didn't question him further.

"I tested you're occlumency this morning and you're walls are as strong as ever, so we will get straight into the legilimency."

Ara offered him a small smile. He wasn't great at handing out compliments, even to her and Draco, but she knew that was a compliment.

"Now, I want you to try it on me." He held is arms easily at his side and stared at her, waiting for her.

Ara nodded waiting for him to continue. When he didn't, she asked "is there something more I'm supposed to do than simply say the spell?"

"start with the spell," he said.

Ara pointed her wand at Severus, glad to have the roles reversed. She could still remember the grueling hours that were spent with his wand on her.

"Legilimens," she said.

She glanced at her wand and back at Severus who was wearing a smirk. Nothing happened.

"you need to envision their mind… Not all people are able to learn legilimency. It not only takes an immense amount of power, but also takes someone who understands people, someone who is able to understand emotions without the spell," he explained.

Ara raised her eye brow. While she understood the explanation, it she was curious as to how Severus managed to learn it of all people.

"Let's try it again," he said.

Ara did the best she could, she focused on his mind, focused on his eyes and the potential for emotion behind them.

" _legilimens,"_ she said once more this time quieter. There were no visions of what should have been, no euphoric revelations of what was in Snape's mind, there was however, a slight fluttering, almost as though something were caught inside her head.

"Well that was better I suppose," Snape said with a low drawl. "I at least felt something, but you need to focus more or you won't get anywhere."

Ara held back a frustrated sigh, it was her second time. It's not like she's been at this for hours.

After several more tries she finally managed to have some success. It came in the form of a feeling rather than a sight or a thought.

"Are you upset?" she asked softly.

Snape raised an eye brow, "well me lying to you wouldn't do you any good."

"why are you upset?"

"Perhaps its because my beloved niece was attacked and she won't tell me who did it," he said sharply.

Ara sent him a small glare and an exasperated sigh. His beloved niece, what a joke. She knew he cared for her a little bit, but he _always_ took her Uncle's side. She had hardly spoken to him since the incident in her third year at Durmstrang. She wasn't sure how he could still consider her 'beloved.'

"Now I think that is enough for tonight," he said before pulling out a stack of papers and a pen and marking on them.

"alright," she said softly before taking her cue and leaving.

* * *

"Yes I'm so sorry to interrupt, I'm afraid Ara is needed for a brief meeting with the rest of the champions."

Ara frowned, staring at her professor. She didn't believe a word of it, but clearly her professor did for she excused her. She stood up, gathered her things and followed Sirius out of the classroom.

She took a deep breath as they walked in silence across the grounds and into the castle. Sirius and the Potters had been trying to get her to talk to her for weeks and it seemed that he had finally found a way.

"Right in here," he said with a charming smile, opening the door to a classroom she had never been in.

She inwardly groaned when she walked in and found that she was right, and it had nothing to do with the competition. Lily, James, Bill, Charlie, and much to her anger, Anna, were sitting in the middle of the room. There were two empty seats and Ara knew one was meant for her and one for Sirius.

"Honestly?" she asked exasperated turning to Sirius. "You would think that me subtly trying to ignore you would clue you into the fact that I don't want to talk to you," she said with a sneer.

Sirius put his hands up in surrender "please, just hear us out. No one knows you're in here," he said softly.

Ara sighed, turning back to the others. "you have five minutes," she said harshly before sitting in one of the empty chairs, crossing her legs comfortably and glaring at the others in turn.

Sirius took his seat and they stared at each other, deciding silently who should go first.

"Ara, we… we want you to know that well we can keep you safe –"

"let me stop you there," she said, uncrossing her legs and leaning forward. "The only person in this entire castle who may be able to keep me safe more than myself, is Dumbledore... and he's not here, so your offer is useless."

Lily flinched. Ara avoided her gaze. More than the others, she really hated being so rude to Lily.

"I know that your uncle has a far reach but believe it or not so do Sirius and I," James insisted. "We both are well respected in the ministry, we both have more money than we know what do with –"

"James," Ara said exasperated "I don't need help. I don't need saving. I don't know why you guys don't understand that –"

"You were tortured," Sirius said angrily. "You had the cruciatus curse cast on you over ten times and the last time we saw that we saw our friends come out brain dead."

Ara flinched… The Longbottoms. One family she would always feel bad for. It seemed almost crueler that they lost their minds and not their lives.

"For risk of sounding arrogant," she began with a smirk "I'm the most powerful witch to walk this earth… The person who cursed me knew that, they weren't trying to kill me, just straighten me out."

Bill scoffed at the statement, raising his eyebrows "you're really so arrogant to believe no one is more powerful than you?" Disgust was evident in his voice and as much as Ara hated to admit it, it made her disgusted in herself. This was Charlie's brother after all.

She glanced at Charlie who hadn't said anything yet, his eyes were turned towards the floor and it seemed that he wanted to be there little more than Ara herself did. "I did say it would make me sound arrogant… I do think Dumbledore could give me a run for my money, but that's simply because of years and experience," she said nonchalantly.

At their stares she added "I don't need a wand, I can set things on fire by looking at them, and my brain can easily handle over 10 cruciatus curses in a 10-minute span."

James sighed and rubbed his face with his hands while both Lily and Sirius looked frustrated.

"I've been where you are" Sirius said in a controlled voice.

Ara looked at Sirius for a moment before saying "that may be, but you and I aren't the same person. We don't have the same beliefs or values, frankly you don't know me in the slightest."

"Ara why don't you just listen to them?" Anna said, she looked tired, but Ara couldn't get herself to care.

"Don't even get me started on you Anna!" she shouted.

James ran his hands through his hair roughly "maybe we started this the wrong way Ara… Look, we miss having you around," he said and Ara was taken aback by the admission. He smiled when he noticed her surprise "you may not believe it, but we all are rather fond of you… You're funny…"

"Smart," Lily added with a small smile.

"Loyal… Charming," Sirius said, his eyes sad.

"You used to be the best friend a person could have…"

Ara's eyes snapped to Anna and she glared. _Used to be_ echoed in her mind. "care to elaborate?" she snapped.

Anna hesitated "All I mean is that you've changed a lot… you're not nearly as happy, you cut class all the time, you don't seem to care about any of us anymore, you don't listen, you only ever talk about yourself…"

It took everything she had not to let her magic reach out and strangle Anna on the spot. She glared hard at the girl before taking a calming breath. "Well _Anna_ I'm sorry I don't care to listen to some sop story about a boy who won't pay you any attention or about your damned grades or something else equally pathetic."

Anna opened her mouth to say something, but Ara didn't give her the chance.

"You know nothing Anna! You sit there in your own little perfect world where the most you have to worry about is what grade you're getting in Potions! You're a stupid child who knows nothing of the real world and you get so stuck in your own head and what's best for you that you forget about the so called people you care about…." She wasn't sure when she had ended up on her feet, but she was "You don't care about what's going on with me, you care that I'm not around for you to dump all your shite on. I'm done Anna, I'm done with you sneaking around and spreading my business with anyone, I can't trust you even a little and I don't know what kind of friendship that is."

"Good Lord you don't have to be so damn hurtful."

Ara sneered "I'm sorry is this one of those times you'd like me to lie to protect your delicate emotions?"

Anna jumped to her feet as well backing Ara up to the wall, much to her surprise "I'm only doing what's best for you! These people care about you and want what's best for you… Besides you don't tell me anything anymore, you only ever talk to Connor and even then, it's like we don't really know anything about you."

"I try talking to you Anna but you only ever hear what you want to. It's exhausting. I talk to Connor because he actually gets it. We didn't grow up the way that you did."

"What with a loving family and everything you've ever wanted? Stop acting like your life was so damn hard!" she asked harshly, shoving Ara in the shoulder.

She could see the others standing up in the background, each of them wore apprehensive looks, unsure of whether or not to intervene.

Ara took a step closer to Anna, the room had gone deathly silent and the air became thick. Even Anna had a frightened look on her face as she tried taking a step away from Ara.

"I suggest you Fuck off," Ara said, her voice eerily calm. "I'm going out with Noah tonight, your stuff needs to be out of my room by then."

"It's our room," Anna said, now quiet.

"No… it's my room as champion… you can go share with Rayna."

"But-"

Ara leaned forward once more "I suggest it be done if you don't want people to know about Andrei."

Anna's eyes widened, even Ara felt a slight twinge of guilt at bringing up something she knew would scar her friend until the day she died. But she had had enough of Anna. She wanted her gone, out of her life and the first step to that was getting her out of her dorm. There was no reason Anna needed to know that she was bluffing.

With one last glance around the room, Ara flung open the door and left. Instead of going to the ship she made her way up the many castle steps to the room of requirement.

* * *

Ara sat in the Slytherin common room with Draco. She was wrapped up in a book of creatures that she had found in the restricted section of the library. She considered it to be her new obsession, but she wanted to know all that she could about what the creature was.

She wasn't paying much attention to her surroundings. She was sitting by Noah and across from Edwin. She had found over the last few weeks that she didn't mind Birch's company. He could be a jerk, but he was definitely charming as well. He also had a sense of humor which was a relief. They didn't talk much, but they made it a point to be seen together. More than anything, she was glad to be spending time with Edwin.

"Darling cousin, are you even listening?" Edwin asked with a smirk on his face.

"Sorry?" she said hardly looking up from her book.

"we were wondering if you've decided what you're doing after school."

Ara shrugged "bask in my winnings and glory."

Edwin shook his head "the winnings are only one thousand galleons… That's not going to last you long at all."

"well not if I spend it the way that you spend money… If I live frugally, It could last me a bit."

Both Edwin and Noah wore bemused expressions and Ara rolled her eyes. "You must have forgotten that I have a rather large fortune and multiple homes in my old family vaults and what with my parents being imprisoned, they are all mine."

Edwin snorted and shook his head "alright alright, I suppose you can bask in your winnings _and_ all that old money."

"What about you? Any plans?" she asked neither of them in particular.

"I'll be joining the ministry of course," Noah said, arrogance resounding in his voice. "I've been offered a position in the department of the removal of curses, jinxes, and hexes."

Ara shared a look with Edwin who was laughing. While Noah was proud of this job, the two of them knew that it wasn't a high up position.

"How about you Edwin?" Ara asked, a smirk forming on her face.

"Well I'm not entirely sure… I've been offered a position in the the minister's office and an internship in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement… I'm not sure which one I'll take."

Ara glanced at Noah who had a hint of red on his face from embarrassment. He didn't really have any reason to be embarrassed, it was hard getting jobs at the ministry. Edwin did however have a much more prestigious position.

"Really though Ara, what are your offers?"

She sighed "you know it's actually unusual to get job offers prior to graduation without applying? It's usually only old families who have positions set up."

"So you don't have any offers then?" Noah asked, a lilt of hopefulness in his voice.

Edwin gave her a half smile "no, she's simply sharing a fun fact…. She is after all from an old family."

Ara shrugged "you know me far too well Rosier… I've been offered a position in the minister of Bulgaria's office… I've also been offered jobs in the department of foreign affairs for both England and Bulgaria's ministries…. I'm not sure what I'll be doing though."

Birch's shoulders slouched slightly, but he plastered a fake smile on his face one more time. "That's impressive," he said.

Ara shrugged her indifference, none of the jobs were really what she wanted.

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Edwin asked.

Ara glanced at the clock on the wall before closing her book, shoving it in her bag and running out of the common room.

"Sorry Severus," she said after flinging open the door to his office. She stopped in her tracks when she saw that he wasn't alone but was with Lily. They had stopped talking the moment she entered, it seemed she had walked in on a serious conversation.

"Sorry… I didn't realize you'd be with someone."

"It's fine, come in and take a seat."

Ara did as he said, Lily was still there, not making much eye contact with Ara. It was clear that she was still upset about what happened a couple weeks ago.

"you've made a lot of progress over the last couple weeks. One thing that's important is for you to practice on various people. You've gotten used to my mind, meaning it's getting easier for you to understand. Lily agreed to come and help, to have you use the spell on her."

Ara hesitated staring between the two of them. She wasn't aware that the two of them were friends, well at least friends of sort. It was one of the first times she had heard him use someone's first name that wasn't a death eater.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Ara said simply, she wanted to be as far from Lily's mind as possible. She didn't want to see or feel the disappointment.

"I'm highly trained Ara," she started. She looked tired. Ara knew that as the months dragged on the final task was getting closer, she knew how worried Lily must be for Harry.

"I don't doubt that but given the fact that I don't particularly like your family, I'm actually rather surprised you'd want me in your mind."

Lily took a deep breath, trying to hold back the frustration. "You're a terrible Liar," she said flatly. "Honestly Ara, there is no one here other than us… you don't have to put on some sort of act."

Ara scoffed at the woman, how she could say that when Snape was standing right next to her, she didn't understand. Had Snape really convinced her that he had switched sides?

"If you really hated my family you wouldn't have helped Harry through the second task, you wouldn't have prevented James and Harry from making fools of themselves in front of skeeter, and you'd actually be able to look at me when you're being an arse."

Ara looked surprised at her, she had never heard Lily swear, nor get so frustrated. She couldn't entirely blame her of course, but it had caught her off guard.

"Look Ara, I have to worry about Harry making it through this tournament alive and now I have to worry about you going home this summer and surviving long enough to have a chance at an adult life… at least I can rest a bit easier knowing that you can get into someone's head."

Ara glanced at Severus, who was pointedly avoiding her gaze. Had all this been his idea? Lily really didn't seem to mind his presence and he seemed comfortable with her.

"Are you friends with her?" She asked Severus.

He looked up quickly, staring at her for a moment before responding "Lily and I were friends when we went to school together."

"But how about now? I thought you hated the Potters?"

Snape hesitated once more "I do not hate the Potters no, I think the Potter men are arrogant and hard to like, but I do not hate them."

Ara sighed glancing between them "Alright fine." She stood up and pulled out her wand pointing it at Lily. She didn't look frightened in the slightest, but she stayed leaning against the desk.

"Legilimens," Ara whispered and was immediately hit with a wall.

"Focus Ara," Snape said.

Ara had been working with them for nearly two hours. She had made her way through Lily's mind several times, pulling out memories. While most of them were happy, Ara had wanted to ask her about some not so happy ones. There were visions of Lily as a small girl with another girl, visions of Lily with a young Snape, visions of her yelling at her now husband. The ones that were hardest to see were ones that happened in what she assumed was the last war, the visions of Lily in battle fighting for her life were hard to see. It took all she had to refrain from asking questions.

She was getting tired mentally and physically. She could only assume that Lily was tired as well.

"Alright, for these next one I'm going to cast a spell so that I can see what you see Ara and Lily is going to put up more challenging mental blocks to keep you out," Snape explained pulling out his wand and whispering an intricate spell making it feel like a bucket of water had been dumped on her.

It was hard to get used to at first, not only were the visions appearing in her head, but she could see them off to the side as though there were some sort of hologram.

" _legilimens"_ She whihspered once more, she got in more easily this time, Lily was younger. She and James were in their living room with a baby and a small girl that Ara knew to be Alaina. The vision changed and turned into one where Lily was arguing with Sirius then it morphed again. This time it was different, it was darker and more distorted. Ara could feel the fear and dread full force as she looked on at a crumbling house. She watched as Lily walked from room to room crying. She caught a brief glimpse of a small girl lying lifeless on the floor before she was thrown from Lily's mind.

It felt as though she'd been hit with a brick and instead of seeing Lily's memories she was seeing her own. She watched as she stood with her mother, her mother gripping her arm tightly to keep her from running off, she watched as her mother was taken away in chains, she watched as she and draco listened to muggle music while his parents were sleeping, she watched as her uncle had friends over and as she snuck out from the cellar she had been locked in, running to Severus's house only to have him take her home, she watched as Anna used an unforgivable on a small boy, and she watched as her uncle used an unforgivable on her.

"Enough!" she shouted, finally gaining back control of her mind, flinging her eyes open only to find Lily and Severus thrown backwards onto the ground beneath them.

She was shaking and she could feel the beads of water sliding down her face, she wasn't sure if they were tears or sweat. She gripped the chair next to her tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. Lily and Severus slowly pulled themselves up, rubbing their aching body parts.

"sorry," Lily whispered, walking over to wear Ara was "It was such a hard memory, I guess I fought back."

Ara shook her head, her voice stuck in her throat. The three of them sat there for what felt like hours, each taking calming breaths.

"Well obviously when a lot of emotion's involved, things like that can happen… you likely would have been fine had we not been at it for hours." Snape said, his voice was gruffer than normal.

Ara shook her head "it can't happen."

The other two nodded.

"Anna…" Lily started unsure of what to say "Was that what you threatened her with? The story you threatened to tell."

Ara sighed heavily; she had hoped they wouldn't ask questions. "Anna was my first friend at Durmstrang… the others were wary because of my name, that or they idolized me from the start, but she didn't know much about the first war and didn't really give a damn about names or titles… Neither of us had many friends initially, but It was easier for me, I was much more outgoing and outspoken. Anna was struggling to fit in. She made some friends who were several years older, and they weren't good influences. There was a kid there who they hated, and they had convinced her to use the cruciatus curse on him, then she could be a part of their group. I showed up right as she cast it and couldn't believe she would do it. She was still one of my best friends so I cursed the other students, made sure the kid was alright then wiped his memory so she wouldn't get in trouble… It's a memory that'll haunt her forever, something she'll never get over."

Lily looked surprised and Severus looked sympathetic. Ara was sure he had done similar things to fit in as well.

"you can't tell anybody," Ara said firmly. "I know I brought it up and that may not have been the nicest thing to do, but I don't really want her getting in trouble for it."

Both Lily and Severus nodded in agreement. It had been years since the incident after all.

"It was Lucius who tortured you in Black's classroom." Snape said, it wasn't a question.

Ara stiffened, she didn't want to talk about it.

"It was no big deal," she said softly.

"No big deal? He tortured you!" Severus shouted, it was of the first times she had really seen him shout.

"It was a one time thing," she said.

"That doesn't make it okay," Lily said. "That's why you're being so distant? That's why you broke up with Charlie."

Ara stood up, she couldn't be here, she couldn't be having this conversation. She knew somehow the information would find its way back to her family then it would be more than just her who was in.

"you're not leaving," Snape said standing up as well.

"I don't need to discuss all of my memories with you. You shouldn't even have seen them," she insisted, making her way for the door.

Snape grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "You can't do this Ara, You can't do what he said just because he threatened you. Don't take his side, don't make the mistakes that I did," he insisted.

Ara ripped her arm out of his grasp.

"What do you care?" she shouted, "shouldn't you be telling me to make it right, to stay on his good side?"

Snape shook his head, wearing a look of confusion.

"that's what you told me to do last time!" she pushed him hard in the chest, getting him to move away from her. Lily stood up and hesitantly made her way towards them.

"What are you talking about?" Snape asked.

"When I was thirteen! I asked you for help and you called my uncle… you told me to behave."

She had tears flowing steadily now. It wasn't often she cried, but she had lost an uncle four years ago. It was something they had never talked about.

Snape looked genuinely confused, his brow furrowed. It was clear he was trying to remember what had happened. "Your memory," he said, referring to what he saw only minutes ago.

"Uncle Lucius had gotten mad at me and locked me in the cellar, but I got out and ran away to your house… begged you to let me stay, to hide me. You told me to wait and then my uncle showed up and you told him where I was. Told me to go home and do as he said. Said I deserved the punishment."

"Ara… I…. it was after that that you stopped writing… stopped coming over," Snape said, it seemed he was finially piecing together why their relationship had fallen apart. "All I remember from that night was you coming over… then Lucius came looking for you, said you had attacked Yaxley."

Ara simply glared at him "you never bothered to ask why."

Snape's breathing stilled.

"So tell me Severus, why should I trust you now?" she tried opening the door only barely before Snape pushed it back shut.

"Listen to me… I hate you uncle," he said plainly, looking at her intently. Ara took a step back seeing nothing but truth radiating off of him.

"He's a coward and spineless… He used to be like a brother to me, but that changed the further he got into the dark arts."

Ara scoffed "you were just as far!"

He shook his head once more "you don't understand, it was a different kind of dark magic, one I don't even begin to pretend to understand. There were so many bodies even after the dark lord fell. It wasn't simply dark, it was evil. I hate your uncle, Ara the only reason I've stayed in contact with him is because of you and Draco."

Ara sighed, she believed him, she could see that he was being honest, but it didn't make it any easier. "So, then you should understand why I have to do as he says. I won't leave Draco or Aunt Cissy; they are the only family I have that I actually consider family."

Ara didn't wait for the response, but with one last glance at each of them she turned and left, ignoring Snape's concerned eyes and Lily's glistening tears.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Ara had effectively avoided everyone after the events in Snape's classroom. She continued to spend her time either with Connor or in the Slytherin Common room. Occasionally she, Harry, Fleur, and Cedric would gather in the room of requirement to simply hang out and avoid stressing about the upcoming task.

The weather was getting warmer and it was staying light a little longer. Ara could feel knots twist in her stomach as she walked side by side with Fleur, the two of them heading to their introduction to the final task. It really felt that the task was creeping up closer and closer now.

"I am way to sober for this," Ara said quietly as they headed out of the castle and down the sloping lawn.

Fleur laughed "Why did we sign up for this again?" she asked

Ara shrugged "beats me"

"Maybe eet is zee money," she suggested, causing Ara to shrug. Fleur laughed, flinging her hair behind her "I suppose you 'av plenty, you are a Lestrange after all."

Ara smiled, but didn't comment. While it was true she had never and would never want for anything, she didn't particularly enjoy bragging about her family wealth, unless it was jokingly.

"Zee Lestranges used to be French, you know?"

Ara frowned. She hadn't looked into her family history very much "I had no idea, I always assumed they were British."

Fleur shook her head "zey were very presteegous in ze wizarding world of France. Very well known. Of course zey were also known to be dark… Zer is even the Lestrange Family tomb in Paris."

"Is there?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"I am surprised you do not know," she sent Ara a smirk and she refrained from searching the Veela's mind.

"I don't know much about the Lestranges… I know far more about the Blacks given that my Aunt was a Black… I also know quite a bit about the Malfoys," she added with a chuckle.

"I suppose zat would make sense."

"So where is this mysterious tomb located?" she asked, slowing her pace before coming to a stop.

Fleur turned to look at her "I'm sorry I do not know," she said with a small frown. "I'm sure eet is not difficult to find."

"I suppose I'll have to come to France then,"

Fleur threw her one of her large smiles "since you are in ze area, you will of course have to come and veesit," she said and Ara had a feeling that this was her intention all along.

"I suppose I will," she said with a small laugh. She truthfully would like to see Fleur. "I wonder if my family owns any homes in France," she added as an afterthought.

"You own so many homes zat you do not know ow many zere are?" she asked, a surprised look coming to her face.

Ara shrugged and shook her head "I wasn't raised by my parents, I know they owned several, but I only know where their home in London was."

"zat must be nice, knowing zat you 'ave a place to leeve after school."

Ara looked at her curiously, she was still smiling, and didn't seem particularly jealous.

"Do you not know where you're going after school?" she asked

Fleur sighed and shook her head "my parents want me to come home, but I'm growing razzer fond of England," she said.

Ara smiled at her and looped her arm in Fleur's "well maybe I'll have room in one of my homes."

"Zat would be lovely," Fleur said genuinely. Ara understood the feeling of not wanting to go home, not wanting to see your family again. She knew Fleur had an excellent relationship with her sister but was unsure of her relationship with her parents.

"I should warn you, I may not stay in England," she said quietly.

"where will you go?" she asked curiously.

Ara shrugged "who knows, maybe America… maybe I'll stay in Bulgaria."

"You want to get out of England?"

Ara sighed "yes," she said firmly, not sure where the admission was coming from. "I want to leave England, I want to shove Birch's head in a mountain of red ants, I want to say good riddance to my bloody uncle and only see him when they lower his body six feet under…"

There was a stunned silence that followed her statement. Both of them were stunned, Ara at her admission to someone and Fleur at her bluntness.

Fleur let out a boisterous laugh, causing Ara to look over at her before dissolving in a laughter as well.

"My goodness Ara, tell me how you really feel," fleur said when they pulled themselves together.

Ara laughed and shook her head "I can't believe I said that out loud."

Fleur quieted down "I wondered eef your relationship with zat boy was real or not," she said.

Ara looked at her surprised "Was it obvious?"

Fleur shook her head "no eet isn't… but you really seemed to like ze red 'ead. Your secret is safe with me," she added when Ara sighed.

Ara smiled at her "thank you, Charlie was a great man…"

"zen why are you not with him?" she asked, stopping and turning to look at her.

Ara shook her head "its complicated,"

"I don't theenk eet is," she said confidently.

"My uncle doesn't approve," she said quietly, glancing around as though worried the man in question will jump out of a bush.

"is that why you want him buried six feet under?" she asked.

Ara laughed "no… he's just an arse," she said bluntly.

Fleur laughed as well and pulled Ara along, leading the two of them to the next meeting.

"So what do you think the task is?" Ara asked as they saw the others in the distance.

"I theenk eet is an underground tunnel zat we have to find treasure in."

Ara glanced at the blond girl, thinking she was kidding. By one look on her face however, she realized she was being serious. She held back a snort, while the tunnel thing may be a possibility, why would they be looking for treasure? Unless of course the goblet was the treasure.

They walked down the dark lawn to the Quidditch stadium, turned through a gap in the stands, and walked out onto the field. They stopped directly behind Harry and Cedric, who were standing still, staring at the stadium.

"What've they done to it?" Ara heard Cedric mumble.

She and Fleur broke apart and each stood beside one of the boys. Ara stood next to Cedric, glancing at the Quidditch pitch. She could see why the two guys looked horrified, the pitch was no longer smooth and flat. It looked as though somebody had been building long, low walls all over it that twisted and crisscrossed in every direction.

"They're hedges!" said Harry, walking forward and bending to examine the nearest one.

"Hello there!" called a cheery voice.

Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the field by himself. Ara and the three others made their way towards him, climbing over the small hedges.

"I am sorry about your Quidditch Pitch," Fleur said to Harry.

"Well, what d'you think?" said Bagman happily as they reached him. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high. Don't worry," he added, grinning, spotting the less-than-happy expressions on Harry's and Cedric's faces, "you'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over! Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?"

No one spoke for a moment. Then -

"It's a maze," Ara said quietly, looking at the hedges. It seemed Fleur's idea of a tunnel wasn't so far off, but they would be above ground, not under it.

"That's right!" said Bagman. "A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks."

"We seemply 'ave to get through ze maze?" said Fleur.

"There will be obstacles," said Bagman happily, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Hagrid is providing a number of creatures and the team from Romania is also gathering a number of creatures... then there will be spells that must be broken... all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze. " Bagman grinned at Harry and Cedric. "Then Miss Lestrange will enter... then Miss Delacour. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?"

Ara nodded politely. She wondered what kind of creatures there would be. Knowing that Charlie would be involved in the decision process gave her some comfort. She supposed it was a good thing she had broken it off with them, when it came out what the final task is, there would probably be an uproar suggesting Charlie was helping her cheat.

"Very well... if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly..." Bagman said before walking past the champions and heading up to the castle.

The four champions looked at each other wearing equally confused expressions. "eet is a maze," Fleur said. Ara shrugged in response.

"Well the creatures and other obstacles must be challenging. Simply finding out way to the middle of a maze won't be too difficult," Cedric said, glancing at all the small shrubs.

"If I know Hagrid, the creatures will be more than dangerous," he said with a grimace.

"What kind of creatures does he have?" Ara asked him. It was the first time she had spoken to him in nearly a month and it seemed Harry realized that as well.

"well he created this cross breed that he calls a blast ended skrewt… There's no way they are legal."

Ara nodded "well honestly the maze sounds far more fun than our other tasks."

The other three nodded in agreement.

They stood in silence for a moment, each person lost in thought but all of them staring at the shrubs imagining what will happen during the final task.

"Well," Cedric started breaking the silence, "I don't know about you all, but I could sure use some firewhiskey," he said, a small smirk forming on his handsome face.

Fleur smiled "I 'ave yet to try eet," she said pulling her long blond hair into a messy pony tale, "but I do have some Vicomte zat I'm sure you would love," she said.

Ara glanced at Harry, he was underage. She certainly didn't mind if he drank, goodness knows she did plenty of drinking before coming of age. She doubted the other two would mind either. But by the look on his face, Harry was going to back out.

"Come on Harry, a few drinks will help you relax," she said softly. "Just the four of us yeah?" she asked glancing at the others.

Cedric and Fleur nodded, a grim look flashing over their faces.

"No one but the four of us will be fighting for our lives in a few weeks," Cedric said plainly.

Silence reigned on the small group once more. She wasn't sure why, but it did strangely feel like they were fighting for their lives. Like the tournament was bigger and more serious than it should have been. She turned her look onto Harry and she could feel the dread spread through her body. He was alive and well, but whoever entered him into the tournament wouldn't be happy about that. Whoever entered him had one more chance to kill him.

"I think we could all use a drink" Ara said still looking at Harry.

"I'm in," Harry said, a smile gracing his face.

The four of them made their way back up the sloping lawn, but instead of going to the castle, they headed to the ship where they knew they would have the most privacy. Ara had her own room and they knew they wouldn't be bothered.

* * *

They had already had too many shots, Ara knew that full well. She was starting to feel the buzz and the burn of the liquor was lessening. They couldn't help it, the liquor took away the fear. It took away the thought that they could be dead soon. It made them feel as though anything were possible. As though all of them would come out of the tournament unscathed.

"Why on earth are you sitting on the ground when you could be dancing with me?" Cedric asked charmingly, reaching out his hand to help her off the floor. Fleur and Harry were sitting across the room, nursing their drinks while chatting animatedly about something or other.

With a flick of his wrist, music started. Ara was grateful that she had the sense to put a silencing spell on her door before they had started drinking.

Cedric had her hands in his and was moving her around, not to the tune that was playing. It seemed they both had two left feet, despite generally being good dancers. He spun her around until the two of them were laughing and Ara had to hold onto him for support.

The song ended and a softer song came on. Ara made her way to sit down, but Cedric pulled her closer, guiding her arms to wrap around his neck while he laid his hands on her waist.

"You're pretty brilliant you know?" he said, his eyes were glazed over from the alcohol.

"So are you Ced."

He shook his head "you undersell yourself." He said plainly, looking over to Harry and Fleur who wore small smiles and were now whispering. "you're beautiful and smart and badass. Birch is a really lucky guy to land someone like you."

Ara gave him a small smile, but didn't respond.

"Or should I say Weasley is a lucky guy?"

She looked back up at him and sighed exasperatedly. "I wish it was Weasley… Frankly I wish it wasn't Birch. He's too arrogant and supremist and a sociopath."

Cedric laughed "I'll date you" he flashed her a charming smile. Ara couldn't help it, she pushed into his mind, grateful that he took no notice. She found nothing but honesty there. He did want to date her, was interested.

She frowned "Don't you have a girlfriend"

Cedric sighed and shook his head "Cho and I were never really dating… It was casual, we went on dates, but we weren't exclusive. I broke the casual dating a couple weeks ago, just didn't feel right."

Ara nodded "So why was she what was most important to you in the second task?"

Cedric shrugged "I was surprised as well. I had to look at each of them to realize that she meant more to me than the others and deduce that she was the one picked for me. The way I see it, for you three it was obvious. Fleur, it was her sister, you it was your cousin brother, and Harry, it was his best friend. Although I think if you asked Harry who was most important to him, he'd say his mum or dad…. For me it wasn't so obvious. I have no siblings, and Cho was one of my closer friends."

She supposed that made sense. It wasn't as though a spell had been cast on them to see who was most important to them. she didn't even think a spell like that existed.

"well you're certainly an amazing man and any girl would be lucky to have you." She said with her arms still around his neck.

It didn't take long until Ara felt his lips on hers. She stood surprised for a moment, before giving into the kiss. She felt guilty. Not because she didn't like Cedric, but because she did like him, and that wasn't fair to Charlie. Part of her felt as though she were cheating. She reminded herself that she wasn't in a real relationship and returned the kiss with fervor. She wasn't sure how long they stood their kissing, but they pulled apart when they heard dog whistles from the other side of the room.

They looked over to see Fleur and Harry clapping and laughing.

Ara pulled away from Cedric who looked more pleased with himself than embarrassed.

With one last glance towards Cedric, Ara reached forward and pulled Harry up to dance while Cedric pulled up Fleur, each of them spinning their dance partners around.

* * *

Ara sat there staring at the others, her mind fuzzy, but relaxed. It came as a shock to her that it was Cedric, not Fleur, who passed out first. After several drinks, the four of them decided to play games involving shots. Ara and Harry teamed up which eventually led to Cedric and Fleur taking shot after shot. Cedric passed out quickly, but Fleur could handle her own. She was only now starting to seem tired from the alcohol as she rested her head on Ara's pillow.

Ara was more than buzzed, but still awake and alert. Harry was in a similar state as her despite having far less to drink. She reminded herself that it was unlikely he had ever had much to drink and therefore had a lower tolerance.

She glanced at Harry surprised to find him staring intently at her.

She raised an eyebrow at the kid "you alright?" she asked.

Harry sighed "what's wrong with you?" he asked. His tone wasn't cruel or harsh, it seemed to be a genuine question.

"I'm sorry?"

He shook his head again, whether to clear his foggy brain or out of exasperation, Ara wasn't sure.

"Why would you choose to be with an arse instead of someone you really like?" he asked.

"you know Potter, I was appreciating the fact that you have been the only one in your family who hasn't asked me that question," she said in response, frowning wondering if it made any sense.

Harry looked at her and smiled "well Lestrange, you've been avoiding everyone's questions and I think something is wrong with you."

Ara shook her head "you wouldn't understand the half of it," she said, grabbing the nearest bottle, which happened to be a bottle of 'House of Lords' whiskey.

"try me," he said, crawling over to where Ara was sitting and taking a swig of the bottle after her.

"I'm not innocent Harry," she said plainly "if you could even begin to comprehend where I've come from, you would… all of you would be terrified of me."

Harry thrust the bottle back at Ara "I don't think I know anyone who is completely innocent… and where you come from doesn't matter, it's where you end up that matters."

Ara looked at him with a fond smile "you're pretty innocent," she said.

Harry shook his head, looking down once more at his hands "I've killed someone," he said quietly.

Ara stilled at the statement. "What?"

Harry nodded "I was eleven and one of our teachers was being possessed by Voldemort… He was trying to steal the sorcerer's stone to bring him back to life and well… I discovered that my Professor couldn't be touched by me, it caused him to much pain, so I held onto him until he died," he finished before taking a deep breath and exhaling as though he had let go of a big burden.

Ara took another sip before handing it to Harry. "I was ten when I was with Draco at the park. This man realized who we were and told me that he would teach my Uncle a lesson. He had knife to Draco and without even thinking my magic reacted and before I knew it the man landed into the brick wall, covered in deep wounds… he bled out within minutes," she said. She hadn't told many people of the incident; her Aunt and Uncle knew of course. But she always felt guilty, she could remember in that moment the desire of wanting him dead.

"you did it in self-defense," Harry said, "to protect Draco."

Ara shrugged "so did you… to save the wizarding world… it doesn't change the feeling of taking someone's life," she finished.

"No, it doesn't."

They paused for a moment, each of them lost in thought.

"Like I said Ara, no one's innocent and it doesn't matter where you come from, only where you land." Harry repeated, taking another drink of the whiskey.

Ara was suddenly feeling very hot in the small room. Both Cedric and Fleur were completely passed out and Ara found herself wishing she had been as lucky. Instead she stood quickly to her feet, swaying slightly and headed towards the door. "let's go," she said, turning back to Harry.

Harry stood up as well "where are we going?" he asked while following her.

"For a walk," she said simply.

When they reached the black lake Ara took a few deep breaths happy to feel the wind blowing against her face, cooling her down.

"We shouldn't be out here," Harry said, staring up at the full moon before looking towards the forbidden forest.

Ara followed his gaze and laughed "What is it Harry, are you afraid of a little werewolf?" she teased.

Harry frowned "Of course not… I happen to know a werewolf thank you very much," he said, clasping his hand to his mouth once he realized what he said.

"you know a werewolf?" she asked curiously. Of course, there were probably many people that Harry knew that she didn't. Given his reaction however, she wondered if maybe it _was_ someone she knew. "Are they out here tonight?" she asked with a smirk before walking quickly in the direction of the forest.

Harry shook his head but followed her anyways. They headed in the direction of the forbidden forest. Ara had no intention of taking Harry _into_ the forest but she was trying to get a reaction out of him.

"Do know how to become an Animagus?" he asked, a slight distance behind Ara.

Ara turned around, walking backwards and shook her head "Do you?" she asked.

Harry shook his head. "I want to though… I wonder what animal I would be…" he trailed off looking at the forest once more.

Ara smirked at him "probably a chipmunk"

Harry glared at her "and you'd probably be a baboon."

Ara chuckled at the suggestion "no my dear Harry, I think it is far more likely that Draco's goons would be baboons."

Harry nodded in agreement at the suggestion "then again they'd never be smart enough to actually do the transformation."

Ara laughed, he was probably right.

They both came to a stop at the forbidden forest.

"how many creatures do you think are in there?" she asked Harry, turning to look at him.

Harry grimaced "lots… I've seen an acromantula, a centaur, a unicorn… and more," he said with a laugh, not being able to remember all the creatures.

Ara snorted "what is it?" she said when Harry's face turned to one of concern as he was looking past her.

She heard rustling in the trees and felt as Harry's hand tightened on hers as he pulled her back, pulling out his wand in the process.

Ara followed suit.

"Lumos," she whispered and the two of them jumped back at the sight of a man in the forest.

The man staggered out from behind the tall oak. Ara didn't recognize him, but a look of realization formed on Harry's face.

"Mr. Crouch?" he said tentatively, his wand still pointed at the man.

Crouch looked as though he had been traveling for days. The knees of his robes were ripped and bloody, his face scratched; he was unshaven and gray with exhaustion. His neat hair and mustache were both in need of a wash and a trim. His strange appearance, however, was nothing to the way he was behaving. Muttering and gesticulating, Mr. Crouch appeared to be talking to someone that he alone could see. He reminded Harry vividly of an old tramp he had seen once when out shopping with the Dursleys. That man too had been conversing wildly with thin air; Aunt Petunia had seized Dudley's hand and pulled him across the road to avoid him; Uncle Vernon had then treated the family to a long rant about what he would like to do with beggars and vagrants.

Harry hesitated for a moment, then walked slowly toward Mr. Crouch, who did not look at him, but continued to talk to a nearby tree.

". . . and when you've done that, Weatherby, send an owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the tournament, Karkaroff has just sent word there will be twelve. . . . "

"Mr. Crouch?" said Harry cautiously.

". . . and then send another owl to Madame Maxime, because she might want to up the number of students she's bringing, now Karkaroff's made it a round dozen. . . do that, Weatherby, will you? Will you? Will. . . "

Mr. Crouch's eyes were bulging. He stood staring at the tree, muttering soundlessly at it. Then he staggered sideways and fell to his knees.

"Mr. Crouch?" Harry said loudly. "Are you all right?"

Crouch's eyes were rolling in his head. Harry looked back at Ara, silently whispering for her help.

"This isn't normal for him, right?"

"No," Harry muttered. "Listen, you'd better go and get someone -"

"Dumbledore!" gasped Mr. Crouch. He reached out and seized a handful of Harry's robes, dragging him closer, though his eyes were staring over Harry's head. "I need. . . see. . . Dumbledore. . . . "

Ara made a move to pull the man off Harry, but Harry put his hand up to stop her.

"Okay," said Harry, "if you get up, Mr. Crouch, we can go up to the-"

"I've done. . . stupid. . . thing. . . " Mr. Crouch breathed. He looked utterly mad. His eyes were rolling and bulging, and a trickle of spittle was sliding down his chin. Every word he spoke seemed to cost him a terrible effort. "Must. . . tell. . . Dumbledore. . . "

"Get up, Mr. Crouch," said Harry loudly and clearly. "Get up, I'll take you to Dumbledore!"

Mr. , Crouch's eyes rolled forward onto Harry.

"Who. . . you?" he whispered.

"I'm a student at the school," said Harry, looking around at Ara. She stepped forward so she was kneeling next to the other two.

Mr. Crouch's eyes landed on her and they went wide

"You're not. . . his?" whispered Crouch, his mouth sagging.

"No," said Ara, without the faintest idea what Crouch was talking about.

"Dumbledore's?"

"That's right," said Ara, still uncertain of what he was talking about.

Crouch was pulling her closer, his other hand was still tight on Harry who was trying to loosen his grip.

"Warn. . . Dumbledore. . . Your mother… it's all my fault… Save Potter," He whispered and it was the sanest that Ara had heard him sound.

"I'll get Dumbledore if you let go of me," said Harry. "Just let go, Mr. Crouch, and I'll get him. . . . "

"Thank you, Weatherby, and when you have done that, I would like a cup of tea. My wife and son will be arriving shortly, we are attending a concert tonight with Mr. and Mrs. Fudge. "

Crouch was now talking fluently to a tree again, having let go of both Ara and Harry, and seemed completely unaware that they were there, which surprised Harry so much he didn't notice that Crouch had released him.

"Yes, my son has recently gained twelve O.W.L.s, most satisfactory, yes, thank you, yes, very proud indeed. Now, if you could bring me that memo from the Andorran Minister of Magic, I think I will have time to draft a response..."

"I'll stay here with him," Harry said quickly "you go get Dumbledore."

Ara shook her head adamantly "I'm not leaving you here with a mad man," she said. "You go get Dumbledore, you know where his office is."

Harry hesitated only slightly before nodding and running towards the castle.

Ara stepped back towards Crouch and after stepping on a branch, he looked back towards her.

"Don't. . . leave. . . me!" he whispered, his eyes bulging again. "I. . . escaped. . . must warn. . . must tell. . . see Dumbledore. . . my fault. . . all my fault. . . Bertha. . . dead. . . all my fault. . . my son. . . my fault. . . tell Dumbledore . . . Harry Potter. . . the Dark Lord. . . stronger. . . Harry Potter. . . "

"What about Harry Potter?" she asked, keeping her voice quiet, trying to sooth the distressed man.

"danger… Lestrange, he'll come for you too," he said, his eyes saddened.

"How can I save Harry?" she asked, hoping that the man knew what was coming.

"Stay with him," he whispered.

A rustling was heard from behind him and Ara looked up quickly only to see a flash of red light hit crouch in the back, causing him to fall.

She shot a protective spell in time to prevent another spell from hitting her but wasn't quick enough to stop the second one. The second one was powerful enough to break her shield while the bright blue spell that followed hit her square in the head, causing her head to jerk back and for her to hit the ground hard, several feet from the forest. She looked up only to see Crouch being dragged backwards before her world went dark.

* * *

Harry gave one last glance towards Ara before he was hurtling toward a stone gargoyle standing halfway along an empty corridor.

"Sher - sherbet lemon!" he panted at it.

This was the password to the hidden staircase to Dumbledore's office - or at least, it had been two weeks ago. The password had evidently changed, however, for the stone gargoyle did not spring to life and jump aside, but stood frozen, glaring at Harry malevolently.

"Move!" Harry shouted at it. "C'mon!"

But nothing at Hogwarts had ever moved just because he shouted at it; he knew it was no good. He looked up and down the dark corridor. Perhaps Dumbledore was in the staffroom? He started running as fast as he could toward the staircase -

He took the stairs two at a time, thankful for his small growth spurt last summer. When he reached the staff room, he didn't bother knocking, but instead flung the door open and ran inside. He nearly tripped on the rug in the room and only briefly remembered how much he had had to drink.

"Harry!" his dad said standing up and looking concerned.

Harry glanced around the room, it seemed to be a group of Dumbledore's most trusted members, a group of the old Order of the Phoenix. His parents were there as well as Sirius. Remus was gone, but he knew that he would be curled up in his living quarters, given it was the full moon. Professor McGonagall was there, as well as the Weasleys, including Bill and Charlie. A few other Professors were there, but Harry didn't pay them much attention. He turned to Dumbledore who was sitting at the head of the table.

"Professor!" Harry said, sidestepping his father, "Mr. Crouch is here - he's down in the forest, he wants to speak to you!"

"Mr. Crouch?" Dumbledore said, standing too his feet.

"He's gone crazy," Harry said quickly.

"Lead the way," Dumbledore said, motioning for his parents and godfather to follow.

"What did Mr. Crouch say, Harry?" said Dumbledore as they walked swiftly down the marble staircase.

"Said he wants to warn you. . . said he's done something stupid. . . he-" Harry paused glancing at his parents who were looking at him strangely after he almost tripped once more. He was hoping his parents didn't realize how much he had had to drink.

"He's not acting normally," Harry said, hurrying along beside Dumbledore. "He doesn't seem to know where he is. He keeps talking like he thinks Percy Weasley's there, and then he changes, and says he needs to see you... I left him with Ara. "

"You did?" said Dumbledore sharply, and he began to take longer strides still, so that Harry was running to keep up. "Do you know if anybody else saw Mr. Crouch?"

"No," said Harry. "Ara and I were talking… We decided to go for a walk and then we saw Mr. Crouch coming out of the forest -"

"Where are they?" said Dumbledore as the Beauxbatons carriage emerged from the darkness.

"Over here," said Harry, moving in front of Dumbledore, leading the way through the trees. He couldn't hear Crouch's voice anymore, but he knew where he was going; it hadn't been much past the Beauxbatons carriage... somewhere around here...

"Ara?" Harry shouted.

No one answered.

"They were here," Harry said to Dumbledore. "They were definitely somewhere around here... "

"Lumos," Dumbledore said, lighting his wand and holding it up.

Its narrow beam traveled from black trunk to black trunk, illuminating the ground. And then it fell upon a pair of feet.

The five of them hurried forward. Ara was sprawled on the forest floor. She had a bruise on her face and seemed to be unconscious. There was no sign at all of Mr. Crouch. Dumbledore bent over Ara and gently lifted one of her eyelids.

"Finistra," he said softly. His half-moon glasses glittered in the wandlight as he peered around at the surrounding trees.

"Should I go and get someone?" said Harry. "Madam Pomfrey?"

"No," said Dumbledore swiftly. "Stay here. "

He raised his wand into the air and pointed it in the direction of Hagrid's cabin. Harry saw something silvery dart out of it and streak away through the trees like a ghostly bird. Then Dumbledore bent over Ara again, pointed his wand at her, and muttered, "Ennervate. "

Ara opened her eyes. She looked dazed. When she saw Dumbledore, she tried to sit up, but Dumbledore put a hand on her shoulder and made her lie still.

"Lie still for a moment," Dumbledore said.

Ara looked at Sirius and then James and Lily.

"Who attacked you?" Dumbledore asked, and Ara focused on him once more, confusion still written on her face.

"I-I-I" she frowned, not entirely remembering and not entirely sure how to say it.

Dumbledore frowned, but looked at her intently.

She looked back up at him "do it," she said quietly.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. " _Legilimens"_ he whispered looking at her intently.

Ara's eyes went out of focus as Dumbledore held his eye contact.

He lifted his head and took a step back. "Someone hit Mr. Crouch with a stunning spell before firing shots at Ara… she did not see who the attacker was."

The sound of thunderous footfalls reached them, and Hagrid came panting into sight with Fang at his heels. He was carrying his crossbow.

"Professor Dumbledore!" he said, his eyes widening. "Harry - what the -?"

"Hagrid, I need you to fetch Professor Karkaroff," said Dumbledore. "His student has been attacked. When you've done that, kindly alert Professor Moody -"

"No need, Dumbledore," said a wheezy growl. "I'm here. "

Moody was limping toward them, leaning on his staff, his wand lit.

"Damn leg," he said furiously. "Would've been here quicker. . . what's happened? McGonagall said something about Crouch -"

"Crouch?" said Hagrid blankly.

"Karkaroff, please, Hagrid!" said Dumbledore sharply.

"Oh yeah. . . right y'are, Professor. . . " said Hagrid, and he turned and disappeared into the dark trees, Fang trotting after him.

"I don't know where Barty Crouch is," Dumbledore told Moody, "but it is essential that we find him."

"I'm onto it," growled Moody, and he pulled out his wand and limped off into the forest.

Ara sat up with the help of Sirius but didn't make any move to stand. She had been dutifully ignoring them all for the better part of two months and she didn't want to stop now.

None of them spoke again until they heard the unmistakable sounds of Hagrid and Fang returning. Karkaroff was hurrying along behind them. He was wearing his sleek silver furs, and he looked pale and agitated.

"What is this?" he cried when he saw Ara on the ground and Dumbledore and the others beside him. "What's going on?"

"She was attacked," Sirius said through gritted teeth. "Crouch – "

The rest of his explanation was cut off by Karkaroff.

"Crouch? The Triwizard judge Crouch? From England?"

"Igor," Dumbledore began, but Karkaroff had drawn himself up, clutching his furs around him, looking livid.

"Treachery!" he bellowed, pointing at Dumbledore. "It is a plot! You and your Ministry of Magic have lured me here under false pretenses, Dumbledore! This is not an equal competition! First you sneak Potter into the tournament, though he is underage! Now one of your Ministry friends attempts to put my champion out of action! I smell double-dealing and corruption in this whole affair, and you, Dumbledore, you, with your talk of closer international wizarding links, of rebuilding old ties, of forgetting old differences - here's what I think of you!"

Karkaroff spat onto the ground at Dumbledore's feet. In one swift movement, Karkaroff was raised off the ground and slammed against a nearby tree.

"Listen here you moron," Ara shouted, she was on her feet with her hand outstretched, keeping Karkaroff firmly in place. "If you would have listened to Sirius you would know that Crouch didn't attack me, someone else did… Now show Dumbledore a little bit of respect you cowardly, small, pathetic –"

"Ara" Dumbledore shouted, his eyes flashing.

Ara looked back at the Hogwarts Headmaster. She didn't know where her respect for him came from, but she did respect the man. Ara let the spell fall and Karkaroff slid all the way down the trunk and slumped in a huddle at its roots; a few twigs and leaves showered down upon his head.

"For all I know headmaster," she said turning back to Karkaroff "it could have been you who attacked me… you've been wanting to do me in since I was eleven, when you first met me… Your arms been bothering you lately, hasn't it?" she said quietly.

Karkaroff stood up "what will your mother say when she hears how much of a disappointment you turned out to be?"

Ara laughed shortly "How do you think my mother feels about you? Knowing you turned everyone in to save your own neck," she said, tilting her head.

Karkaroff wore a mixture of fear and loathing. He looked as though he wanted to lunge at her, but instead turned and stalked back to the ship.

No one spoke until Karkaroff was a good distance away.

Ara straightened her robes and turned to look at the others. Each of them wore differing looks, varying from gratitude, to admiration, to worry.

"I'd like for Madame Pomphrey to look you over," Dumbledore said softly.

Ara sighed and shook her head "I'm fine, honestly."

Dumbledore looked at her intently. "At least come back to my office and let Lily do a quick scan," he suggested.

Ara fidgeted uncomfortably. She didn't want to go to the hospital wing, but she _really_ didn't want to spend time with the Potters.

"Honestly, I don't need anything, just some sleep will do the trick," she said softly, doing her best to keep the bite out of her voice.

"I have something I wish to show you," Dumbledore said firmly, and Ara knew that there was no getting out of it. She simply nodded in response.

"Harry, are you hurt at all?" James asked.

He shook his head, it was pounding slightly, but he knew that wasn't from any sort of spell.

"Harry," Dumbledore said turning to him, "It may be wise to stay with your parents tonight and rest tomorrow… Unfortunately, you will have detention with Professor Snape tomorrow evening," he said. "Mr. Diggory will as well," he added.

Ara grimaced and sent Harry an apologetic look.

"What for?" James asked abruptly. "What's he possibly done wrong?"

Dumbledore didn't look at James, but his eyes remained on Harry who seemed to get the picture as he nodded.

Ara and Dumbledore turned and walked back up to the castle. They had reached the front doors when they heard a distant "Harry James Potter!" coming from Lily.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

They walked in silence to his office. "apple pop" he said to the giant stone gargoyls. They leaped aside, revealing a staircase. Ara and Dumbledore walked up until they reached two large doors.

His office was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tainted wizard's hat. On top of the desk sat a large basin with livery liquid. Ara recognized it to be a Pensieve, she knew her mother used to have one.

"Please sit," Dumbledore said, gesturing to the plush, high back chair across from his desk. She sat as Dumbledore sat behind his desk.

"I know you don't feel like you need help and I'm not going to offer it," Dumbledore said, but his smile was kind.

Ara crossed her legs and took a deep breath.

"What is it Ara?"

"he's getting stronger," she said quietly, making eye contact with Dumbledore once more.

"You don't need to be afraid of him," Dumbledore said.

Ara shook her head "I'm not. He just… brings a lot of drama in his wake," she said softly, looking down at her clasped hands. "I mean honestly headmaster, Harry's been entered into a tournament where he's at a serious disadvantage, I've been attacked by some monster and we both know how unlikely it is that it was in the black lake before this year… Clearly it's all a result of one person." She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, looking at her lap. "He's a damn drama queen."

Dumbledore laughed softly, before it grew stronger.

"He certainly is, isn't he?"

"He mentioned my mother," she said, changing the subject. "said it was all his fault… What did Crouch have to do with my mother other than sending her to Azkaban?" she asked. She truly didn't remember her mother being sent away, she had heard bits and pieces.

Dumbledore sighed "it's been bothering me for a while… I've put my memories of your mother's trial in my pensieve, but I haven't been able to figure out what I'm missing."

Ara looked down at the memories swirling in the basin, "that's my mother's trial?" she asked.

Dumbledore nodded, hesitating only briefly before saying "would you like to see it?"

Ara nodded and stood up, waiting for Dumbledore to do the same. With one last glance at Dumbledore, the two of them put their heads down to the swirling liquid

The room was dimly lit; he thought it might even be underground, for there were no windows, merely torches in brackets such as the ones that illuminated the walls of Hogwarts. She saw that rows and rows of witches and wizards were seated around every wall on what seemed to be benches rising in levels. An empty chair stood in the very center of the room. There was something about the chair that gave Ara an ominous feeling. Chains encircled the arms of it, as though its occupants were usually tied to it.

The room was almost certainly underground - more of a dungeon than a room, he thought. There was a bleak and forbidding air about the place; there were no pictures on the walls, no decorations at all; just these serried rows of benches, rising in levels all around the room, all positioned so that they had a clear view of that chair with the chains on its arms.

Before Ara could reach any conclusions about the place in which they were, she heard footsteps. The door in the corner of the dungeon opened and three people entered - or at least one man, flanked by two dementors.

Ara's insides went cold. The dementors - tall, hooded creatures whose faces were concealed - were gliding slowly toward the chair in the center of the room, each grasping one of the man's arms with their dead and rotten-looking hands. The man between them looked as though he was about to faint, and Ara couldn't blame him. . . . The watching crowd recoiled slightly as the dementors placed the man in the chained chair and glided back out of the room. The door swung shut behind them.

Ara looked down at the man now sitting in the chair and saw that it was Karkaroff.

Unlike Dumbledore, Karkaroff looked much younger; his hair and goatee were black. He was not dressed in sleek furs, but in thin and ragged robes. He was shaking. Even as Ara watched, the chains on the arms of the chair glowed suddenly gold and snaked their way up Karkaroff's arms, binding him there.

"Igor Karkaroff," said a curt voice to Ara's left. She looked around and saw Mr. Crouch standing up in the middle of the bench beside her. Crouch's hair was dark, his face was much less lined, he looked fit and alert. "You have been brought from Azkaban to present evidence to the Ministry of Magic. You have given us to understand that you have important information for us. "

Karkaroff straightened himself as best he could, tightly bound to the chair.

"I have, sir," he said, and although his voice was very scared, Ara could still hear the familiar unctuous note in it. "I wish to be of use to the Ministry. I wish to help. I - I know that the Ministry is trying to - to round up the last of the Dark Lords supporters. I am eager to assist in any way I can. . . . "

There was a murmur around the benches. Some of the wizards and witches were surveying Karkaroff with interest, others with pronounced mistrust. Then Ara heard, quite distinctly, from Dumbledores other side, a familiar, growling voice saying, "Filth. "

Ara leaned forward so that he could see past Dumbledore. Mad-Eye Moody was sitting there - except that there was a very noticeable difference in his appearance. He did not have his magical eye, but two normal ones. Both were looking down upon Karkaroff, and both were narrowed in intense dislike.

"Crouch is going to let him out," Moody breathed quietly to Dumbledore. "He's done a deal with him. Took me six months to track him down, and Crouch is going to let him go if he's got enough new names. Let's hear his information, I say, and throw him straight back to the dementors. "

Dumbledore made a small noise of dissent through his long, crooked nose.

"Ah, I was forgetting. . . you don't like the dementors, do you, Albus?" said Moody with a sardonic smile.

"No," said Dumbledore calmly, "I'm afraid I don't. I have long felt the Ministry is wrong to ally itself with such creatures. "

"But for filth like this. . . " Moody said softly.

"You say you have names for us, Karkaroff," said Mr. Crouch. "Let us hear them, please. "

"You must understand," said Karkaroff hurriedly, "that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named operated always in the greatest secrecy. . . . He preferred that we - I mean to say, his supporters - and I regret now, very deeply, that I ever counted myself among them -"

"Get on with it," sneered Moody.

"- we never knew the names of every one of our fellows - He alone knew exactly who we all were -"

"Which was a wise move, wasn't it, as it prevented someone like you, Karkaroff, from turning all of them in," muttered Moody.

"Yet you say you have some names for us?" said Mr. Crouch.

"I - I do," said Karkaroff breathlessly. "And these were important supporters, mark you. People I saw with my own eyes doing his bidding. I give this information as a sign that I fully and totally renounce him, and am filled with a remorse so deep I can barely -"

"These names are?" said Mr. Crouch sharply.

Karkaroff drew a deep breath.

"There was Antonin Dolohov," he said. "I - I saw him torture countless Muggles and - and non-supporters of the Dark Lord. "

"And helped him do it," murmured Moody.

"We have already apprehended Dolohov," said Crouch. "He was caught shortly after yourself. "

"Indeed?" said Karkaroff, his eyes widening. "I - I am delighted to hear it!"

But he didn't look it. Ara could tell that this news had come as a real blow to him. One of his names was worthless.

"Any others?" said Crouch coldly.

"Why, yes. . . there was Rosier," said Karkaroff hurriedly. "Evan Rosier. "

"Rosier is dead," said Crouch. "He was caught shortly after you were too. He preferred to fight rather than come quietly and was killed in the struggle. "

"Took a bit of me with him, though," whispered Moody to Ara's right. Ara looked around at him once more, and saw him indicating the large chunk out of his nose to Dumbledore. She frowned, staring at the man. She couldn't place where her discomfort with Moody came from.

"No - no more than Rosier deserved!" said Karkaroff, a real note of panic in his voice now. Ara could see that he was starting to worry that none of his information would be of any use to the Ministry. Karkaroff's eyes darted toward the door in the corner, behind which the dementors undoubtedly still stood, waiting.

"Any more?" said Crouch.

"Yes!" said Karkaroff. "There was Travers - he helped murder the McKinnons! Mulciber - he specialized in the Imperius Curse, forced countless people to do horrific things! Rookwood, who was a spy, and passed He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named useful information from inside the Ministry itself!"

Ara could tell that, this time, Karkaroff had struck gold. The watching crowd was all murmuring together.

"Rookwood?" said Mr. Crouch, nodding to a witch sitting in front of him, who began scribbling upon her piece of parchment. "Augustus Rookwood of the Department of Mysteries?"

"The very same," said Karkaroff eagerly. "I believe he used a network of well-placed wizards, both inside the Ministry and out, to collect information -"

"But Travers and Mulciber we have," said Mr. Crouch. "Very well, Karkaroff, if that is all, you will be returned to Azkaban while we decide -"

"Not yet!" cried Karkaroff, looking quite desperate. "Wait, I have more!"

Ara could see him sweating in the torchlight, his white skin contrasting strongly with the black of his hair and beard.

"Snape!" he shouted. "Severus Snape!"

"Snape has been cleared by this council," said Crouch disdainfully. "He has been vouched for by Albus Dumbledore. "

"No!" shouted Karkaroff, straining at the chains that bound him to the chair. "I assure you! Severus Snape is a Death Eater!"

Dumbledore had gotten to his feet.

"I have given evidence already on this matter," he said calmly. "Severus Snape was indeed a Death Eater. However, he rejoined our side before Lord Voldemort's downfall and turned spy for us, at great personal risk. He is now no more a Death Eater than I am. "

Ara turned to look at Mad-Eye Moody. He was wearing a look of deep skepticism behind Dumbledore's back. She herself was curious as to how Severus managed to convince Dumbledore. She knew he was a death eater but was uncertain on who he was truly spying for. Until a few weeks ago, she could have sworn he'd been working for the Dark Lord.

"Very well, Karkaroff," Crouch said coldly, "you have been of assistance. I shall review your case. You will return to Azkaban in the meantime. . . . "

"No! Karkaroff shouted "There's more… there's one more, yes this man helped torture the aurors Frank and Alice Longbottom! He led to the death of one Alaina Potter!"

The people around the room had stilled, but Crouch only seemed to be getting angrier. "The Lestranges have been caught! I need a name."

"Barty Crouch Junior!" he shouted. There were gasps heard all around the room, even Crouch wore a look of shock, but Ara didn't get to see what happened next as Mr. Crouch's voice faded. Ara looked around; the dungeon was dissolving as though it were made of smoke; everything was fading; She could see only her own body - all else was swirling darkness. . . .

And then, the dungeon returned. Ara was sitting in a different seat, still on the highest bench, but now to the left side of Mr. Crouch. The atmosphere seemed quite different: relaxed, even cheerful. The witches and wizards all around the walls were talking to one another, almost as though they were at some sort of sporting event. Ara noticed a witch halfway up the rows of benches opposite. She had short blonde hair, was wearing magenta robes, and was sucking the end of an acid-green quill. It was, unmistakably, a younger Rita Skeeter. Ara looked around; Dumbledore was sitting beside him again, wearing different robes. Mr. Crouch looked more tired and somehow fiercer, gaunter. . . . Ara understood. It was a different memory, a different day. . . a different trial.

The door in the corner opened, and Ludo Bagman walked into the room.

This was not, however, a Ludo Bagman gone to seed, but a Ludo Bagman who was clearly at the height of his Quidditch-playing fitness. His nose wasn't broken now; he was tall and lean and muscular. Bagman looked nervous as he sat down in the chained chair, but it did not bind him there as it had bound Karkaroff, and Bagman, perhaps taking heart from this, glanced around at the watching crowd, waved at a couple of them, and managed a small smile.

"Ludo Bagman, you have been brought here in front of the Council of Magical Law to answer charges relating to the activities of the Death Eaters," said Mr. Crouch. "We have heard the evidence against you and are about to reach our verdict. Do you have anything to add to your testimony before we pronounce judgment?"

Ara couldn't believe her ears. Ludo Bagman, a Death Eater? He seemed far to squirrely to be a Death Eater.

"Only," said Bagman, smiling awkwardly, "well - I know I've been a bit of an idiot -"

One or two wizards and witches in the surrounding seats smiled indulgently. Mr. Crouch did not appear to share their feelings. He was staring down at Ludo Bagman with an expression of the utmost severity and dislike.

"You never spoke a truer word, boy," someone muttered dryly to Dumbledore behind Ara. He looked around and saw Moody sitting there again. "If I didn't know he'd always been dim, I'd have said some of those Bludgers had permanently affected his brain. . . . "

"Ludovic Bagman, you were caught passing information to Lord Voldemort's supporters," said Mr. Crouch. "For this, I suggest a term of imprisonment in Azkaban lasting no less than -"

But there was an angry outcry from the surrounding benches. Several of the witches and wizards around the walls stood up, shaking their heads, and even their fists, at Mr. Crouch.

"But I've told you, I had no idea!" Bagman called earnestly over the crowd's babble, his round blue eyes widening. "None at all! Old Rookwood was a friend of my dad's. . . never crossed my mind he was in with You-Know-Who! I thought I was collecting information for our side! And Rookwood kept talking about getting me a job in the Ministry later on. . . once my Quidditch days are over, you know. . . I mean, I can't keep getting hit by Bludgers for the rest of my life, can I?"

There were titters from the crowd.

"It will be put to the vote," said Mr. Crouch coldly. He turned to the right-hand side of the dungeon. "The jury will please raise their hands. . . those in favor of imprisonment. . . "

Ara looked toward the right-hand side of the dungeon. Not one person raised their hand. Many of the witches and wizards around the walls began to clap. One of the witches on the jury stood up.

"Yes?" barked Crouch.

"We'd just like to congratulate Mr. Bagman on his splendid performance for England in the Quidditch match against Turkey last Saturday," the witch said breathlessly.

Mr. Crouch looked furious. The dungeon was ringing with applause now. Bagman got to his feet and bowed, beaming.

"Despicable," Mr. Crouch spat at Dumbledore, sitting down as Bagman walked out of the dungeon. "Rookwood get him a job indeed. . . . The day Ludo Bagman joins us will be a sad day indeed for the Ministry. . . . "

And the dungeon dissolved again. When it had returned, Ara looked around. He and Dumbledore were still sitting beside Mr. Crouch, but the atmosphere could not have been more different. There was total silence, broken only by the dry sobs of a frail, wispy-looking witch in the seat next to Mr. Crouch. She was clutching a handkerchief to her mouth with trembling hands.

Ara looked up at Crouch and saw that he looked gaunter and grayer than ever before. A nerve was twitching in his temple.

"Bring them in," he said, and his voice echoed through the silent dungeon.

The door in the corner opened yet again. Six dementors entered this time, flanking a group of four people. Ara saw the people in the crowd turn to look up at Mr. Crouch. A few of them whispered to one another.

Ara took a deep breath knowing that this was her parents trial. She took a step closer to where the four people were sitting, getting a better look at them.

The dementors placed each of the four people in the four chairs with chained arms that now stood on the dungeon floor. There was a thickset man who stared blankly up at Crouch; a thinner and more nervous-looking man, whose eyes were darting around the crowd; a woman with thick, shining dark hair and heavily hooded eyes, who was sitting in the chained chair as though it were a throne; and a boy in his late teens, who looked nothing short of petrified. He was shivering, his straw-colored hair all over his face, his freckled skin milk-white. The wispy little witch beside Crouch began to rock backward and forward in her seat, whimpering into her handkerchief.

Crouch stood up. He looked down upon the four in front of him, and there was pure hatred in his face.

"You have been brought here before the Council of Magical Law," he said clearly, "so that we may pass judgment on you, for a crime so heinous -"

"Father," said the boy with the straw-colored hair. "Father. . . please. . . "

"- that we have rarely heard the like of it within this court," said Crouch, speaking more loudly, drowning out his son's voice.

"We have heard the evidence against you. The four of you stand accused of capturing an Auror - Frank Longbottom - and subjecting him to the Cruciatus Curse, believing him to have knowledge of the present whereabouts of your exiled master, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named -"

"Father, I didn't!" shrieked the boy in chains below. "I didn't, I swear it. Father, don't send me back to the dementors -"

"You are further accused," bellowed Mr. Crouch, "of using the Cruciatus Curse on Frank Longbottom's wife, when he would not give you information. You planned to restore He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to power, and to resume the lives of violence you presumably led while he was strong. I now ask the jury -"

"Mother!" screamed the boy below, and the wispy little witch beside Crouch began to sob, rocking backward and forward. "Mother, stop him. Mother, I didn't do it, it wasn't me!"

"I now ask the jury," shouted Mr. Crouch, "to raise their hands if they believe, as I do, that these crimes deserve a life sentence in Azkaban!"

In unison, the witches and wizards along the right-hand side of the dungeon raised their hands. The crowd around the walls began to clap as it had for Bagman, their faces full of savage triumph. The boy began to scream.

"No! Mother, no! I didn't do it, I didn't do it, I didn't know! Don't send me there, don't let him!"

The dementors were gliding back into the room. The boys' three companions rose quietly from their seats; the woman with the heavy-lidded eyes looked up at Crouch and called, "The Dark Lord will rise again, Crouch! Throw us into Azkaban; we will wait! He will rise again and will come for us, he will reward us beyond any of his other supporters! We alone were faithful! We alone tried to find him!"

But the boy was trying to fight off the dementors, even though Harry could see their cold, draining power starting to affect him. The crowd was jeering, some of them on their feet, as the woman swept out of the dungeon, and the boy continued to struggle.

"I'm your son!" he screamed up at Crouch. "I'm your son!"

"You are no son of mine!" bellowed Mr. Crouch, his eyes bulging suddenly. "I have no son!"

The wispy witch beside him gave a great gasp and slumped in her seat. She had fainted. Crouch appeared not to have noticed.

"Take them away!" Crouch roared at the dementors, spit flying from his mouth. "Take them away, and may they rot there!"

"Father! Father, I wasn't involved! No! No! Father, please!"

The memory ended, and Ara and Dumbledore landed back in his office.

Dumbledore watched Ara as she struggled with what to say.

"Why did you show me this?" she asked, her voice cracking. "Did you want to remind me how horrible the people in my life are?"

"No… I wanted to remind you that you are nothing like them," he said, his eyes kind.

She scoffed but didn't say anything.

"Karkaroff is one of the most selfish people I know. He only works in ways that will suit him and when it stops working for him, he changes tactics… Ludo Bagman is quite similar… Your father and uncle were cruel, and I can promise you that if your mother or father were sitting in the chair across from me, they would feel no guilt at any of their crimes… While you feel guilty about things that weren't your fault. You are _nothing_ like them."

Ara wiped roughly at a tear that was falling down her face. "I should go," she said quietly, pushing her chair back.

"I'm well known for the defeat of Grindelwald," Dumbledore said quickly.

Ara paused and nodded "I know. I used to be obsessed with Hogwarts, I've read all about you."

"What you don't know, what most people don't know is that he was one of the most important people in my life at one point."

Ara couldn't help but stare, it certainly wasn't something she had known. "You were friends?" she asked.

Dumbledore shook his head "we were lovers… we shared goals and ideals, we were both so hungry for what we believed to be right…"

Ara shook her head "what changed?"

Dumbledore sighed "my sister died and I realized how power hungry I had become… how he became… We went our separate ways until the time came when I couldn't ignore the fact that he was killing innocent people, when I realized I was the only one who could stop him, I knew him better than anyone."

"I don't want power," Ara said, not entirely certain where Dumbledore was going with the story.

Dumbledore chuckled and shook his head "no you aren't like I was at your age… I'm saying that there is still time for you to be who you want to be… The time will come when you have to choose between what is right and what is easy."

Ara looked back down to her hands and nodded.

She thought back to the memories. She had so many questions, but didn't know where to start or even if her questions would be welcomed.

"Why wasn't Alaina Potter mentioned in the crimes, in why they were being arrested?"

Dumbledore sighed "because they didn't have all the evidence they needed to prove her death was murder."

Ara frowned, anyone who knew of the downfall of the Dark Lord knew that the Potter daughter had been murdered. She hadn't realized that had ever been questioned.

"What were they missing?"

"The body."

Her breathing stilled as she thought back to Lily's memory and the lifeless body that lay on the floor.

"but Sir, the Potters saw Alaina after she had died."

"yes, but then Alaina disappeared and although it was enough to prove her death, the memories alone weren't enough to pin her death on anyone."

"That's horrible," she said softly, imagining just how hard it must have been for the Potters to not have justice. To not know for sure, who had done it. To not have anything to bury.

Dumbledore nodded and sighed "yes, the Potters have struggled greatly to move on from her death."

"but they think it was my parents?" her mouth was dry knowing what she had done all those years ago. Knowing that had she been older she could have been sitting up there with the others being carted away by dementors.

Dumbledore nodded "yes, they are fairly certain it was them…" he looked at her intently over his half-moon spectacles "My child, the Potters would never hold that against you."

Ara wasn't surprised that Dumbledore knew what was going through her mind, she was simply grateful that he didn't seem to know how much at fault she really was.

"Thank you, professor," she said quietly, before standing to leave.

"Ara?"

She hesitated briefly by the door before turning around.

"Thank you."

The rest of the sentence went unsaid, but Ara knew what he was referring to. Her standing up for him when Karkaroff spit at him.

She gave a small bow of her head before leaving the office.

She shouldn't have been surprised to come down the stairs and find people waiting for her at the bottom.

She sighed in frustration at the sight of them. Sirius and James stood side by side talking with Bill and Charlie.

She took a sharp turn, hoping they would leave her alone. She was nearly in the clear when she heard footsteps sounding behind her and felt herself being pulled gently sideways and into a classroom.

" _homem revelio_ "

Ara looked quickly to the voice, he hadn't been the person she expected to follow her.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly. She felt herself being backed into the wall but couldn't get herself to push him away. "Charlie?"

He didn't respond, but she felt his gentle touch as it ran across the bruise on her face.

She was caught breathless when he planted a kiss to her lips, running his hands through her wavy hair and gripping tightly, almost desperately. She gave in quickly and wrapped her arms around his waist. This kiss was so different from the one she had shared with Cedric. While Cedric was handsome and sweet, Charlie was everything.

When they pulled apart, they simply stared at each other, Charlie's hands still buried in her hair.

"You better not die Lestrange," Charlie said softly.

Ara was near tears, not realizing how much she had missed him, missed his comfort, his voice.

"Make it through this tournament," he continued, staring intently into her eyes "then get away from your goddamn uncle."

Ara couldn't find words. She didn't know what to do, torn between wanting to push him away and apologize for everything she had done to him.

Instead, she simply nodded.

"Birch," he began, finally looking away from her, although his hands were still running through her hair. "he hasn't… he hasn't hurt you?"

Ara shook her head adamantly "he's scared of me," she said, her voice nearly a whisper.

Charlie nodded looking back into her eyes "good," he said. He leaned forward once more, planting a chaste kiss on her lips.

It was too quick for her liking. Before she realized it, his hands were out of her hair and the classroom door was closing behind him, leaving her in the dark.

She leaned heavily against the wall, not bothering to stop the tears that flowed freely down her face.

* * *

She walked into the Great Hall the next morning with Connor and Kara. She was desperately trying to hide her hangover, although the bloodshot look of her eyes and the fact that she kept grabbing her head and groaning gave her away.

The liquor hadn't ended well when she finally made it back to her room. Once the adrenaline wore off, she realized just how drunk she had been, and she spent the night disappointed that she couldn't throw up and sleep it off.

She took her usual seat next to Noah but didn't give him the usual morning kiss. Her mind was still on Charlie and the kiss that they had shared the night before. She glanced up at the head table and saw him sitting there, looking pointedly at his plate.

"what's wrong?" Birch asked, rubbing her back gently with his hand.

Ara shoved his hand off "hungover," she said simply.

Birch grimaced "and why wasn't I invited?" he asked, leaning in close and nuzzling her ear.

Ara did her best not to shrug him off again without it being too noticeable. "It was just us champions," she said, giving him a small smile.

She glanced around the room and saw Fleur sitting at the Ravenclaw table, sipping tea and shielding the light from her eyes, while Cedric was at the Hufflepuff table, with his eyes closed and his head resting on his hands.

"Ah," he said, nudging her arm "well a hangover does seem to be the proper punishment for leaving me out… doesn't it?"

Ara didn't respond. She knew he wasn't entirely serious, but his possessive comments often bothered her. Especially since they both knew they weren't really together.

"I'm not that hungry," she said pushing her plate away and standing up. She looked at Connor who was giving her a concerned look. "I'll see you all later."

She left quickly before anyone could call her back. She rubbed her aching forehead as she left the room.

"Ara, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Ara turned around and saw that it was Lily who followed her out. Her face was tight and there was a hard look behind her eyes. Ara merely nodded and waited for Lily to catch up.

"What happened last night… What were you thinking letting Harry drink?" she asked quietly, glancing around to make sure no one was listening.

Ara raised her eyebrows at the woman "it was his choice," she said flatly. She knew she had talked Harry into it, but it was also his choice and he seemed like he wanted to.

"He's fourteen, you never should have suggested it."

Ara's frown deepened "did Harry tell you I suggested it?" she asked.

"Well no – " Lily started, but was cut off.

"Well if you would have asked, you would know that it was Cedric who made the suggestion and frankly we've all been under a lot of pressure and we needed a way to relieve the stress," she said, her voice getting louder.

"There are other ways to relieve stress! If you hadn't been drinking then you never would have been outside and you would never have that bruise on your face," she said.

Ara sighed rubbing the temples of her forehead, trying to fight off the increasing pain. "Are you honestly saying that you never drank while you were in school?"

Lily hesitated "that was different."

"Was it?" she scoffed.

"It was different because Harry's life is in danger and I don't want you dragging him into your bad decisions… I will not lose my son," she said haughtily.

Ara felt like she was slapped in the face, she felt like she was protecting Harry by separating herself. She cared greatly for him, but it seemed that all her fears were confirmed.

"Sorry," she said quietly, glancing at the large doors that lead outdoors. "I'll stay away from him."

Ara made to move passed Lily, but Lily grabbed her hand firmly in hers. The hardness in her eyes diminishing.

"I didn't mean I want you to stay away from him," she said quietly, almost pleading.

"Forget it Lily, I'm not a great influence, we both know it."

"That's not what I meant," she insisted.

Ara ripped her arm out of Lily's grasp and walked towards the door without looking back.

Despite separating herself, despite the frequent reminders that she didn't belong with people like the Potters, part of Ara always felt like there was hope. Like maybe they cared and maybe everything would be alright. Ara was reminded that it wasn't true, that if they knew everything, they would want nothing to do with her.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

The weather was getting warmer and the hedges were growing higher as the third task loomed over them. Ara was sitting on her bed, her various creature books scattered in front of her although her mind was somewhere else. She really didn't see the purpose in studying, considering she didn't have to take end of the year tests, only her NEWTS and she was as prepared for those as possible.

She had re-read the same sentence about hinkypunks at least seven times, her mind unable to comprehend as other thoughts swirled in her brain. She had spent the last few weeks in her bedroom, only going to dinners in the Great Hall and only speaking with Connor, Viktor, and Draco. While all of them noticed her withdrawing even more, they were the only ones to not say anything about it, which Ara was grateful for.

Ara was even spending less time with Birch, only being seen with him when necessary. He seemed to be upset with the situation, but Ara couldn't get herself to care. She had bigger things to worry about and her mind still strayed to the kiss with Cedric and the kiss with Charlie causing uncomfortable guilt to fill her stomach.

There was a knock on the door, dragging her out of her thoughts.

"Yes?" she said, pulling the book back onto her lap.

"Hey," Connor said with a small smile. He didn't hesitate, instead walked over to Ara's bed, pushing her books aside and plopping onto her bed. "how's the creature prep coming?"

Ara glanced down at the book on her lap and shrugged. "I can't seem to focus… I keep rereading about hinkypunks."

Connor snorted "that's ridiculous considering you already know about Hinkypunks."

He was right, she had studied them _and_ knew how to beat them.

"Let's get out of here for a bit," Connor said jumping to his feet, throwing the book on the nightstand next to Ara's bed.

"and go where?" she asked making no attempt to move. She didn't want to go to the castle or visit anyone.

"Hogsmeade," he said plainly.

"I don't know – "

"what? You want to keep staring out the window daydreaming about the way you wish things were?"

"Excuse me?" The question was honest, even if a bit brutal.

Connor sighed "just get off your lazy arse Lestrange and come with me." He pulled a jacket from the closet and threw it against Ara's head, not waiting for her to catch up.

Still slightly stunned at Connor, Ara did as he said and followed him out of the ship and towards Hogsmeade.

The walk was quiet and for a brief moment, Ara thought maybe Connor was upset with her, but halfway there he slowed down and threw his arm around her, walking in silence with her.

They stopped at the local coffee shop and Connor bought her something steaming and bitter while she picked out a seat for them.

"Quiz time," he said with a goofy smile as he sat beside her, handing her the cup of hot liquid.

"What?"

"What's a salamander and how is it defeated?" he asked quickly, using his wand to set up a stopwatch giving her thirty seconds to respond.

"Um…" Ara hesitated, thrown off, she didn't think they'd be talking about the tournament.

"You won't have long to think in the maze," he said, still staring at the timer.

"Salamander… it's a small lizard that lives in fire… extinguish the fire," she said simply.

"excellent," he said with a grin "Fire crab," he said quickly.

"it has six legs and a jeweled shell and it shoots flames from its rear… it's highly unlikely they'll be in the maze considering they are a protected species," she said with a shrug.

"hmmm," Connor said, clearly not knowing that. "How about a zmey?"

Ara sent him an exasperated look "despite the fact that Zmeys are most likely mythical… they are a Dragon who is able to transform into a man and who lure women or young girls… the only way to defeat them is to be a God… or use an herb on one week after the fiftieth day after Easter," she finished, rolling her eyes. She knew they weren't real and even if there was a chance, they were real, they would be far too dangerous to have in a tournament like this.

Connor sighed and gave Ara a charming smile "You're ready Lestrange… you'll do amazing in the maze."

Ara smiled in response and clutched her drink even tighter.

"The maze isn't what you are worried about," he said, it wasn't a question.

Ara shook her head and looked at the table uncertainly.

Connor sighed again, but this time out of frustration.

"What?"

"It's just…" he trailed off laughing bitterly "I hardly know who you are anymore."

"What?" Ara asked again, surprised by the statement.

"Ara, I've known you since you were eleven and you've always been truly remarkable." He said, a fond smile forming on his face. "You've always been the top in our year, you are an incredible chaser, your wandless magic is extraordinary, your beautiful and funny and incredibly confident…"

Connor paused and Ara stayed silent.

"You are so confident that you are actually a bit arrogant… very arrogant," he added with a smirk.

"What's your point Connor?" she asked.

"my point is that since coming to Hogwarts it's like you've lost all of your confidence," he said quietly. "You've never cared what people thought. You have one of the worst reputations at Durmstrang, but that never bothered you… and your mother's always been evil, but now you seem to care about it more than ever."

Ara shook her head "I've always hated my mother's reputation," she said.

"I know, but this is the first time you've truly hated what she did… What changed?"

"She was a horrible person!" Ara said loudly, causing a couple of people to turn and look at her. She leaned forward and quieted down "she tortured people and killed without mercy, she was really horrid…"

"but she's always been horrible, you knew what she did to that little family, you knew –"

"She dragged me into it! And I hate her for it," she said. She didn't look around, but simply stood up and darted for the door, making her way back towards Hogwarts.

"Ara stop," Connor said loudly, running forward and jumping in front of her. He put her hands on her shoulders and gave her a pleading look "talk to me, please."

Ara wiped roughly at her face, hiding the tears that had only just started falling "I'm the reason the Potters lost their daughter… Mum took me with her, I met her at the park, became her friend and got The Dark Lord into their house! She's dead because of me…"

Connor gave her a sad look and pulled her into a tight hug. "it's not your fault. You didn't know what he was going to do how could you? You were only four."

Ara shook her head "I know that, but…"

"But you care about the Potters and you're worried that if they knew the truth they would hate you," he finished.

Ara nodded.

"The Potters are good people… but if they don't understand then that's their problem," he said with a shrug. "You don't need them," he insisted "You have me… and you have Viktor… and now you have Fleur and Cedric… and you'd have Charlie if you'd let him."

Ara didn't stay anything, simply stood there. Connor pulled back and wiped the remaining tears from her face.

"It doesn't have to be black and white Ara…. You don't have to take the side of a dark wizard and you don't have to take the side of a light one… why can't you simply do what is right in that moment?" He hesitated momentarily, grabbing both of her hands in his, he gave her a wry grin, "Ara you weren't born to be soft and quiet… you were born to make the world shatter and shake at your fingertips. Stop doubting yourself and stop caring so much about what the Potters think," he finished, kissing her on the forehead.

He didn't make her respond, simply grabbed her hand and walked with her back to Hogwarts.

Ara knew he was right, she cared too much about what others thought, especially the Potters.

* * *

Ara's mind drifted once more to concerning topics, specifically those involving he upcoming death of Harry Potter, which she was near certain would happen on the day of the final task.

"Hello Darling," Noah said, sitting next to her in the great hall during lunch.

"Noah," she said simply, brushing off his arm as he tried to put it around her.

She didn't want to have anything to do with him. Whether or not she could be with Charlie, Noah had served his purpose and she had proven to her uncle and the others that she was with a well deserving Slytherin for a few months and her fling with Charlie was forgotten.

"It's a good thing you're no longer friends with that Potter boy… I hear he's deranged and dangerous," he said, a wicked smirk forming on his handsome face.

"What?" she asked, finally looking at him.

He dropped a newspaper in front of her and the face of Harry was staring up at her.

HARRY POTTER:DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS

 _The boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is unstable and possibly dangerous, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Alarming evidence has recently come to light about Harry Potter's strange behavior, which casts doubts upon his suitability to compete in a demanding competition like the Triwizard Tournament, or even to attend Hogwarts School._

 _Potter, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal, regularly collapses at school, and is often heard to complain of pain in the scar on his forehead (relic of the curse with which You-Know-Who attempted to kill him). On Monday last, midway through a Divination lesson, your Daily Prophet reporter witnessed Potter storming from the class, claiming that his scar was hurting too badly to continue studying._

 _It is possible, say top experts at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, that Potters brain was affected by the attack inflicted upon him by You-Know-Who, and that his insistence that the scar is still hurting is an expression of his deep-seated confusion_

"He might even be pretending," _said one specialist._ "This could be a plea for attention. "

 _The Daily Prophet, however, has unearthed worrying facts about Harry Potter that Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, has carefully concealed from the wizarding public._

"Potter can speak Parseltongue," _reveals Gregory Goyle, a Hogwarts fourth year._ "There were a lot of attacks on students a couple of years ago, and most people thought Potter was behind them after they saw him lose his temper at a dueling club and set a snake on another boy. It was all hushed up, though. But he's made friends with werewolves and giants too. We think he'd do anything for a bit of power. "

 _Parseltongue, the ability to converse with snakes, has long been considered a Dark Art. Indeed, the most famous Parselmouth of our times is none other than You-Know-Who himself. A member of the Dark Force Defense League, who wished to remain unnamed, stated that he would regard any wizard who could speak Parseltongue "as worthy of investigation. Personally, I would be highly suspicious of anybody who could converse with snakes, as serpents are often used in the worst kinds of Dark Magic and are historically associated with evildoers. " Similarly, "anyone who seeks out the company of such vicious creatures as werewolves and giants would appear to have a fondness for violence. "_

 _Albus Dumbledore should surely consider whether a boy such as this should be allowed to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Some fear that Potter might resort to the Dark Arts in his desperation to win the tournament, the third task of which takes place this evening._

Ara scoffed "Clearly Rita Skeeter has run out of things to write about…"

Noah shook his head "the boy's crazy."

Ara looked at him intently a smirk forming on his face. She brushed her hands through his hair, gripping tightly at the back, smirking at the flash of pain in his eyes.

"According to this, he's interested in the dark arts, has visions, and can speak to snakes… Sounds like the perfect recruit to me," she kissed him on the cheek before glancing around at the others. Connor shook his head but was smiling into his goblet; Rosier who sat next to Noah was looking at her with an amused expression.

Noah didn't get a chance to respond since Karkaroff walked up to the table "Lestrange… The champions are congregating in the chamber off the hall after breakfast," he said, not making eye contact and slinking off after the message was passed.

Ara shrugged at the others and stood up "may as well head there now," she said. She waved goodbye and made her way to the doors.

She entered the hall and found herself relieved. Without paying attention to the others in the room she ran forward towards the woman at the far side of the room who wore elegant green robes and had her hair tied back in a bun.

"Aunt Cissy," she said quietly as her aunt surprised even her by pulling her into a hug.

"you look better," she said, brushing Ara's hair out of her face.

The affection was odd in itself, but Ara could tell that her aunt seemed unusually worried. While she wanted to ask, she glanced around the room and remembered the other families.

Cedric and his parents were just inside the door. On the other side of the room, Fleur was jabbering away in French to her mother. Fleur's little sister, Gabrielle, was holding her mother's hand. Harry was standing next to Lily as well as Molly and Bill, both of whom seemed to come for Harry.

Fleur Delacour, Ara noticed, was eyeing Bill with great interest over her mother's shoulder. Ara could tell she had no objection whatsoever to long hair or earrings with fangs on them.

Ara smiled grabbing her aunt's hand, "I'd love for you to meet the others," she said, dragging the protesting woman with her.

"This is Fleur," she said when they reached them.

"you must be 'er aunt," she said, shaking Narcissa's hand in both of hers. "She 'as said a lot about you."

Narcissa smiled kindly "I'm not sure if that is a good thing."

Fleur laughed, throwing her hair behind her shoulder "she speaks most highly of you."

"And this is Cedric," she said, motioning towards the boy who had joined their group.

"It's a pleasure Misses Malfoy," he said, shaking her hand and offering a small bow. His mother stood behind him, looking hesitant, while his father looked angry.

The Potters made their way to leave, passing by the small group. As they passed Amos Diggory, he looked around.

"There you are, are you?" he said, looking Harry up and down.

"Bet you're not feeling quite as full of yourself now Cedric's caught you up on points, are you?"

"What?" said Harry.

"Ignore him," said Cedric in a low voice to Harry, frowning after his father. "He's been angry ever since Rita Skeeter's article about the Triwizard Tournament - you know, when she made out you were the only Hogwarts champion. "

"Didn't bother to correct her, though, did he?" said Amos Diggory, loudly enough for everyone to hear "Still, you'll show him, Ced. Beaten him once before, haven't you?"

"Skeeter's after one thing mister Diggory and that's readers… Unfortunately spreading lies about a fourteen-year-old hero holds more weight than a talented, good-looking seventeen-year-old," Ara said.

Mr. Diggory glared at her, hesitating about what to say. "I'm surprised they would let someone like you in to the tournament as well –"

"I would be very careful what you say about my niece Amos," Narcissa said quietly. "and leave the Potter boy alone, he's done nothing to you."

Mr. Diggory looked as though he was going to say something angry, but his wife laid a hand on his arm, and he merely shrugged and turned away.

Ara walked towards the small group "Aunt Cissy, this is Harry Potter… I don't know that you've officially met him."

Narcissa took a deep breath wanting to say something to Ara, but she smiled with one glare from her niece.

"It's a pleasure Mister Potter," she said reaching her hand forward.

"Please, call me Harry," he said confidently, shaking her hand. "this is my mum, Lily," he gestured towards the pretty red head.

"Yes we've met," Narcissa said shortly with a polite nod.

Harry stared at his mother who wore a tight smile before turning to the red heads.

"This is Misses… Molly Weasley and Bill Weasley," he said in turn.

Molly nodded stiffly, but Bill reached out his hand to shake hers.

"Bill you said?" she asked, staring at him with interest.

"Yes ma'am," he said kindly.

"You're the oldest?"

Ara frowned at her aunt, unsure of where this was going.

"I am," he said with a smile "I've got six younger siblings."

Narcissa nodded "yes, must have been nice growing up with so many others… " she glanced at Ara giving her a sad smile "we wanted more, but unfortunately weren't able to." Ara frowned, her aunt had never mentioned wanting more kids after Draco.

"I love having so many siblings… there was never a dull moment growing up."

Narcissa smiled kindly "and you're a curse breaker?"

"Is there a reason you are so interested in my son?" Molly asked, sending a small glare towards Ara, clearly remembering the article suggesting she poisoned her other son not to mention the fact that she broke his heart.

Narcissa simply smiled kindly "I apologize I merely had a banking question."

Bill frowned "I'm sure the goblins could answer any question you have… They think very highly of the Malfoys." His voice was tight and Ara knew he thought very little of her and her family. She was rather impressed that he was being so kind to her aunt, then again, she supposed he had worked with them before.

Narcissa's smile dropped "They think very highly of my husband who brings a rather large fortune to their bank… My question is for someone who maybe… doesn't think so highly of my husband."

Bill stared at her for only a moment "alright?"

"If someone were to have an inheritance set up from their birth, in what ways would the inheritance be revoked."

Ara opened her mouth but was silenced by a look from her aunt. Bill glanced her way, clearly wondering if it was about her.

"Well, er… the person would still have their inheritance even if their parents were criminals," he suggested.

Narcissa shook her head "of course, but how would they lose their inheritance?"

"Inheritence always goes to the eldest, unless otherwise specified… The law differs from normal inheritance to noble inheritance. In a normal inheritance the person inheriting would be selected as the beneficiary and they would likely inherit when the benefactor died or deemed it time to give."

"And in a noble one?" she asked, curiosity and worry written on her face.

"For one of the 28 noble families it is seen as the eldest child's right whether or not the parents agree with it. Because of that, the parents would have to go against it by the time the witch or wizard turned 18 and the only way for them to go against it is by picking someone else as their heir, the person would have to be another child of theirs. Of course, one can claim their inheritance at the age of 17 and once it's been claimed, they are the rightful heirs, and nothing can undo it except for death. And if a person has no heir's they are able to pick their own as long as it is a blood relative."

Narcissa nodded a small, sad smile forming on her face. "And if a person were to be heirs to more than one of the noble families?"

Bill looked surprised and shook his head "It's highly unlikely that anyone would have multiple… many of the families lines have ended and the ones that still exist-"

"Well, if you were to marry Ara, for example" Narcissa cut in a smirk forming on her face "your oldest child would be of both Weasley and Lestrange, two noble families."

Bill shook his head in disbelief and pinched the bridge of his nose "well that just shows how unlikely it is… but if that were to happen, I imagine one child would get the 'Lestrange' inheritance while the other would get the 'Weasley' one."

Narcissa nodded, seemingly satisfied. "thank you," she said.

"Of course," he said with a small bow of his head.

"oh," she stopped as if remembering something, although Ara could tell that it was a question she had intended on asking all along. "Which on is Charlie."

"Aunt Cissa," Ara said startled.

Bill's eyes widened in surprise and Molly glared at Ara.

"He's my second oldest," Molly said briskly "I'm afraid we really must be going… Harry dear promised us a tour."

"Of course," Narcissa said with a small nod of her head "thank you for your help Bill."

He nodded once more before the Potters and Weasleys turned to leave.

Ara walked with her aunt in the opposite direction, heading out onto the castle grounds.

"What are you playing at?" she asked once they were outside. "Asking about inheritances and Charlie?"

Narcissa turned to her quickly, her usual charm gone, being replaced by a look of fear. "nothing," she said, her face softening as she reached for Ara's shoulder before changing her mind and pulling it back.

"Are you ready for tonight?"

Ara hesitated, wanting to keep questioning her aunt, but thought better of it. "I am," she answered simply.

"good…" rather than asking anymore questions, Narcissa changed the topic to one more pleasant. Ara let her, while she wanted answers, she knew they could wait until after the tournament.

They walked around the castle until lunch time when they joined Draco at the Slytherin table.

"Mum," he said happily surprised. "I didn't think you'd be here until tonight."

Narcissa smiled and patted him on the shoulder "the families were invited to spend the day with the champions."

Ara sat across from the two of them, her stomach twisting at the sight of food. As they day got later, the anxiety started. She shoved it down when the two of them looked at her and gave them what she hoped was a happy smile.

"Where's father?" Draco asked turning back towards his mother.

Narcissa sighed "he's at the ministry… plus I thought it would be fun for Ara and I to get some time together," she said with a kind smile, but both of them could see concern behind her eyes. "you will be graduating soon after all and then you'll leave us."

While Ara was looking forward to graduating and getting away from her uncle, she did feel sad about leaving her aunt.

Ara sighed when she felt someone sit beside her.

"Mrs. Malfoy, pleasure to see you again," Noah said charmingly.

"Yes, Noah, right?" she asked with a small glance towards Ara and then towards the head table. "Your parents are Sandra and David, is that correct?

"They are," he said enthusiastically "you know them?"

Narcissa smiled "yes Lucius helped David out of a couple sticky situations at the ministry… I'm afraid your mother invited us for dinner, but we were unable to make it, the minister had already invited us over" she said arrogantly, Ara had to hold back a smirk, it seemed her aunt wasn't too fond of Birch or his family. "so darling, have you decided on an internship or a job?"

Ara looked at her plate and shook her head "There are two that I'm sure you'd be pleased with… One in the foreign affairs office for the British ministry and one in the minister's office of the Bulgarian ministry," she said.

Narcissa smiled "you did get the offer in the Minister's office then? He did seem impressed with you at the Quidditch world cup."

Ara nodded "yes he wrote to me a couple of times over the year offering support in the tournament and said he'd be happy to have me on whether I win or not."

"that's excellent Ara," she said encouragingly "but you know, if you wanted to go into another field, it doesn't have to be politics," she said, and Ara felt that her aunt could see right through her. "you should do what you want… in _every_ aspect of your life," she insisted, glancing up at the Head Table once more. "Don't make the same mistake I did."

Ara looked up and her eyes landed on Charlie who was having an animated discussion with James. She looked back at her aunt who was smiling encouragingly.

"Draco, will you show me to the dungeons? I would love to visit the Slytherin common room once more," she said, standing and waiting for her son to follow.

"Of course, mum," he said with a curious glance at Ara before leading Narcissa away from the table.

Noah opened his mouth to speak, but Ara cut over him "I think we should break up," she said plainly, not hesitating in making eye contact.

"What?" Noah said loudly, surprising some of the students in their vicinity.

"you heard me, we're done."

Ara made to stand up but was pulled roughly back down.

"We had a deal," he said loudly.

Ara tilted her head "I have no idea what you're on about." She said, pulling her arm away from him and heading towards the door.

"You are nothing without me Lestrange," he shouted, causing the Great Hall to go quiet.

Ara turned around and smiled at him "I'm sorry you're taking this so hard, but I'm returning to Bulgaria… I think it's best we make the break before then… Long distance relationships hardly ever work after all."

Birch scoffed and moved towards her quickly "You will not dump me," he said harshly, grabbing her arm once more.

"I'd let go of her Birch."

Ara glanced around and found that the other three champions had made their way over to her. Harry standing behind her and Cedric and Fleur standing behind him.

Ara looked at Birch once more, this time more intently. She combed through his mind, looking for anything that could help. She was surprised at how much easier it was to look through his mind than it was to look through Severus's. Clearly he didn't have any occlumency training.

Ara shook her head and brushed off his arm roughly. "why would I stay with you when you cheated on me?" she said loudly enough for those closest to her to hear.

Noah looked surprised "I did no such thing."

"yes you did," she insisted "last week with that young Hufflepuff"

He glanced at the Hufflepuff table located directly next them. His eyes landed on a young girl, the same girl who Ara had caught a brief glimpse of only this time Ara realized that the girl looked fearful and pale and she realized what it meant.

She looked sadly at Birch "tell me Birch, was it consensual?"

Noah scoffed but was beginning to look nervous "forget it," he said "why don't you go back and sleep with that Weasley boy.

Ara shook her head "you disgust me," she spat "what was she; thirteen years old? Did you drug her or did you let her fight you knowing full well she wasn't strong enough to hold off for long?" Ara was nearly in tears, feeling the waves of emotion rushing off of the young girl.

"Shut up!" he shouted, his hand striking her across the face.

Before she could utter a spell in response, his arms and legs locked straight and he fell backwards. Ara glanced behind him to see two wands pointed at him, Sirius' and Cedric.

"Professor McGonagall, Professor Black, you will please escort Mr. Birch to the hospital wing… Miss Lestrange please come with me," Dumbledore said, making his way quickly down the aisle the twinkle in his eye completely gone.

Ara followed the headmaster along with James and Severus up to his office. He summoned two additional chairs and encouraged the other two to sit across from him as well.

"Normally we'd rather stay our of our students affairs, however I'm afraid I do have to ask you about some of your allegations towards Mr. Birch," he said, his arms crossed in front of him.

Ara took a deep breath "I don't know for sure what happened, but I saw it," she glanced at Severus "he was with a young girl and she looked terrified."

"You were there?" James asked from her other side.

Ara shook her head "I used legilimens," she said quietly.

Dumbledore looked surprised and looked to Severus.

"She asked me to show her earlier in the year. She's my Monday night meeting although we haven't met in several weeks."

"Ah," Dumbledore said looking down at his hands. "Has he done something like this before Ara? Has he hurt you?"

Ara began to shake her head, but hesitated thinking of that young girl. She thought back to what Charlie had said and what so many other warned her of. How many girls had he done that to?

"There was one night," she said quietly, "After the Yule Ball that he tried to… well you know," she stumbled over the wording.

"Rape you," James said bluntly. He of course knew of the situation from Charlie but didn't know what all it entailed.

"yes," she said softly, looking at the man to see only compassion behind his eyes, which was a relief considering her last conversation with his wife.

"He wasn't able to?" Dumbledore asked.

Ara shook her head "no, he used a form of dark magic… used the shadows, and a type of compulsion charm," she added, although by the looks the three of them wore they were perfectly aware of those forms of spells. "Lucius taught me how to fight it when I was younger… before I was school aged." She hadn't added that she was also taught to use shadow magic, she wasn't sure how well that would look.

"So you fought it?" Dumbledore said, knowing full well what she must have done to fight it.

Ara nodded "he hasn't touched me since… Of course, there are rumors about what he's done to other girls… I know Charlie has a friend who Birch took advantage of."

Dumbledore sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. He looked older than Ara had ever seen him. She could imagine the stress of the situation, they were after all, his students.

"Thank you for your help Miss Lestrange… I'll let you get back to your time with your Aunt. No doubt you will want to rest before tonight.

Ara nodded "thank you headmaster… Professors," she said nodding to each one before leaving in search of her aunt and cousin.

* * *

There was another tent set up for the champions, near the maze. When she walked in she found everyone in a similar state as during the first task. Cedric was pacing the tent while Harry and Fleur sat, this time sitting closer, Fleur was rubbing soothing circles on his back, despite looking as though she was going to puke. Ara sat on Fleur's other side, looping arms with her. It wasn't long before Cedric sat on her other side and the four of them waited, gathering strength from each other.

"thanks for having my back today," Ara said quietly, her voice carrying through the tent.

Cedric smiled and grabbed her hand, linking his fingers with hers "we're family, aren't we?"

Ara smiled and rested her head on his shoulder "always."

The tent got quiet as they sat, each wondering what would face them in the maze.

"we could always travel ze maze togezzer," Fleur suggested with a small smirk.

Ara snorted "said the girl in last place."

Fleur laughed and elbowed Ara in the side "zat is not fair! Anyone can win."

"well… anyone but you two," Cedric said. "It'll be a Hogwarts win, easily."

Ara shook her head "and what makes you think that?" she sat up turning so she was looking at him, but still holding tightly to his hand.

"well, Harry and I are clearly more talented given that we are up by so many points…" he trailed off, with a small smile while Ara hit him hard in the shoulder.

"I am one point behind you! And I would have won that second task if it weren't for that monster," she said with a grimace.

Cedric shrugged "those are just minor details… You're still going to lose Lestrange."

Ara shook her head "whatever you say Diggory."

The flap of the tent opened and Bagman walked in "the stands have filled and we are about ready to begin… yes all the champions out here please…"

The group followed him out of the tent and stood side by side facing the maze, their backs to the people in the stands. There was a loud roar from the crowd as people applauded, but Ara and the others found it difficult to pay them any attention. They all had bad feelings in their gut, more so than the normal stress that came before the tournament.

The judges sat behind a long table in front of the maze. Professor McGonagall and three other professors stood before the four champions.

"We are going to be patrolling the outside of the maze," said Professor McGonagall. "If you get into difficulty, and wish to be rescued, send red sparks into the air, and one of us will come and get you, do you understand?"

The champions nodded.

"Off you go, then!" said Bagman brightly to the four patrollers from his place at the judges table.

"Good luck. Harry," Hagrid whispered to Harry and Cedric, and the four of them walked away in different directions, to station themselves around the maze. Bagman now pointed his wand at his throat, muttered, "Sonorus," and his magically magnified voice echoed into the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each - Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, with eighty-four points – Miss Ara Lestrange, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in third place - Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"

Ara glanced behind where they stood at the crowd. The stands were full and she couldn't quite make out anyone. She wasn't sure if there were simply too many people she didn't know or if it was because she was so nervous that her brain was muddled.

"So. . . on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" said Bagman. "Three - two - one -"

He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze, leaving Ara and Fleur behind.

The two girls stood side by side, Ara standing perfectly still, taking deep breaths to calm her racing heart, while Fleur swayed back and forth.

"Ara, on my whistle," Bagman said "three – two – one –"

Ara glanced at Fleur, giving her a small smile before running into the maze. As soon as she was between the dark green hedges, the area was silenced leaving her with the noise of the rustling of bushes and her own breathing.

" _lumos"_ she whispered when the area became too dark to see properly. A short way in she came to a fork in the path and without thought she turned left.

She continued to jog a short distance before coming up to what she assumed was an obstacle. There was a small patch on the ground, consisting of what appeared to be a large thick black slug. She took a step closer, leaning forwards slightly and rolled her eyes.

"Bubotubers… really?" she asked, surprised that they would have something so simple. While you weren't supposed to touch them without protection, they were hardly dangerous.

With the use of her wand she catapulted them into the hedge at the far end, creating a hole where the pus melted away the greenery.

She ran forward and instead of following the natural bend of the hedge, she threw a protection charm over herself and went through the hole.

Ara pulled out a small black compass from her pocket. It had been a gift from her Aunt and it was spelled to point Ara in the direction she needed to go.

She ran quickly, heading in the direction the compass pointed before sliding to a quick halt at the sight before her. A blonde boy laid flat on the hard ground, bleeding from the head. His eyes were open and lifeless. She gasped, freezing from shock before realizing what it was.

"Ridikkulus," she said quietly and the imitation Draco stood up quickly and began squirting ketchup.

She shook her head of the awful thought and sent the boggart away, continuing forward.

The night sky above her seemed to be growing darker the further she moved into the maze. She lifted her wand as high as she could so that she could see further in the distance.

She had been in the maze for what felt like thirty minutes, fighting small obstacles. She seemed to run into some sort of Flobberworm on steroids that she killed with a simple stunning spell and she ran into a more difficult fire crab that managed to burn her robes before she was able to get rid of it.

What she hadn't been expecting as she ran through the maze was for her mind to go completely blank.

She stood there staring ahead. It was an excellent feeling, to be free of worry, of thought, of emotion. She saw, but found it hard to comprehend that Fleur was in front of her, calling her name.

 _Cast crucio._

The voice was soft in the back of her mind and Ara raised her wand pointing it at the girl. She knew she should listen to the voice, it brought peace and rest.

 _Cast crucio,_ it said again, this time more urgent.

"Ara what are you doing?" Fleur asked, her arms up in surrender, looking at her friend worriedly. "zis is not like you."

 _Cast Crucio,_ the voice said once more this time louder, angrier. Ara frowned, it was disrupting the peace, not helping it. And why did she have to cast it? What was the point?

She glanced at her arm and back at the girl in front of her. As if fighting with herself she moved her arm slightly to the right _"crucio,"_ she said, having moved just in time so the spell shot past her friend.

Fleur screamed briefly, ducking close to the hedge. "Ara! snap out of eet!"she shouted; her arm pointed at Ara.

Ara didn't, but instead pointed her wand at Fleur once more. " _Stupefy,"_ she said, hitting Fleur flat in the chest, knocking her out. She heard rustling in the hedge and ran forward, hiding behind a hedge, doing exactly as the voice told her.

"Fleur?" came Cedric's voice. He ran towards the blonde, lying unconscious on the ground. "Fleur," he said once more trying to wake her.

Ara stepped out from behind the hedge and pointed her wand Cedric.

He looked up, tilting his head curiously. "What happened?" he asked.

Ara didn't answer but simply walked closer to him, her wand still pointed at his chest.

"Ara, what are you doing?"

 _Cast crucio,_ the voice said once more.

" _crucio"_ she said, unable to fight the curse. Cedric jumped to the side, the curse barely missing him.

"What the bloody hell Ara?" he shouted as Harry came running around the corner. "What is wrong with you?"

Ara didn't respond, but continued to stare, her wand still pointed at Cedric.

"she's bewitched Cedric," Harry shouted from a short distance away.

Cedric didn't spare Harry a glance, but instead raised his wand "Finite!" he shouted, missing Ara by a few centimeters as she jumped out of the way.

" _finite!"_ Cedric said once more, this time joined by Harry. One of the two spells managed to hit Ara and she fell to the ground.

Ara felt that she had been hit with a brick as she came back to awareness. She looked at Cedric and Harry and then looked towards Fleur who was still unconscious. She remembered the voice, and the curses.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry," she insisted, panicked tears coming to her eyes as she sat up, racing towards Fleur to make sure she was okay.

"You were imperioused," Cedric said, standing to his feet. "It's not your fault."

He glanced around worriedly, as though expecting whoever cursed Ara to come out once more.

"That's not apart of the task," Harry said, moving to Ara's side to help her up.

Cedric shook his head "No I don't think so… they wouldn't use an unforgivable at least not one telling a student to torture another student."

Both Harry and Cedric helped Ara to her feet before reaching for Fleur. She was still unmoving but breathing clearly.

The hedge to the side began to move and the branches began to reach out, attempting to pull in the contestants. Ara and Cedric began cutting the hedge with a cutting spell while pulling Fleur away.

"What did you curse her with?" Cedric asked, attempting to revive Fleur.

Ara shook her head "just a stunner…" She trailed off knowing that her stunners could sometimes be over the top. She had once knocked Lucius out for fifteen hours when she was angry.

Cedric snorted and shook his head "that was quite some stunner."

The hedge continued to grow with its branches acting as arms trying to reach the contestants.

"We can't leave her here," Harry said, cutting one of the branches that got close to him.

"We'll send up red sparks," Cedric said. He pulled Fleur far enough away from the hedge before shooting red sparks into the air, praying that the professors got there quick enough.

"Let's go," he said and the three of them ran away from the ever-growing hedge.

They reached a fork in the road and both Cedric and Ara turned right, while Harry turned left after saying goodbye.

"I really am sorry," Ara said while she and Cedric ran.

"It's really okay… It's not like you hit me," he flashed her a charming smile and Ara found herself amazed that he could still be good looking when sweaty and running through a dark dangerous maze.

She shook her head and turned the corner. "Shit!" she yelled as she and Cedric skidded to a stop. "What the bloody hell is that?"

"Blast ended skrewt," Cedric said backing away. "Hagrid created them."

Ara looked at him disbelievingly "He created that?"

The skrewt seemed to realize it was there as it shot fire that barely missed the two of them.

"Stupefy!" they each shouted in turn.

The spell hit the skrewt's armor and rebounded; Ara ducked just in time but could smell burning hair; it singed the top of Cedric's head. The skrewt issued a blast of fire from its end and flew forward toward him.

"Impedimenta!" Ara yelled. The spell hit the skrewt's armor again and ricocheted off; Cedric staggered back a few paces and fell over. "IMPEDIMENTA!"

The skrewt was inches from them when it froze - she had managed to hit it on its fleshy, shell-less underside. Panting, Ara helped Cedric up and the two of them ran, hard, in the opposite direction - the Impediment Curse was not permanent; the skrewt would be regaining the use of its legs at any moment.

As they came to another fork in the road the two of them split up once more. Ara pulled out her compass once more following the small arrow. After hitting several dead ends she nearly ran head first into a man or what appeared to be a man at first glance.

As Ara looked intently at the man, she realized he was less human than he seemed, the first dead giveaway were the dragon wings growing out of his back. His head was far more angular than normal and the reddish tint to his skin suggested he was either severely sunburned or of a different race entirely.

"what are you?" she asked, clasping her hand over her mouth. She hadn't meant to ask something so rude, it had slipped out.

The man chuckled "You aren't the first to lose control over me, I daresay you won't be the last." His voice was deep and hollow sounding. Almost sounding as though it were coming from far away.

She shook her head "I can control myself just fine."

The man stood there smiling "well I'm glad to see that you understand me more than most."

Ara raised her eyebrows "you don't seem to be speaking any obscure language."

"To most my language is obscure, there are few who understand me."

Ara wasn't sure what he meant, it seemed to be plain English to her.

"Are you friends with Charlie?" he asked curiously.

Ara raised her eyebrows at the man, looking at his wings once more. "You're a dragon," she said plainly.

He laughed and shook his head "that wasn't really an answer to my question, and I think I'm rather small to be a dragon."

Ara shrugged "well if you work with Charlie you must be a dragon. I would really love to keep chatting, but I have a trophy to get, so if you don't mind," she gestured for him to move aside, hoping that he didn't get angry and show her his true form.

The man laughed once more "Yes, well I'm supposed to stop you from passing. Of course, if you answer my questions, I may let you pass, hell I may even help you get that trophy of yours.

"Alright then, yes I know Charlie."

"Are you his mate?" he asked curiously.

Ara blushed but shook her head "we dated for a few months, but it's been a while."

"Ah," he said contemplatively. He regarded her for a moment before saying "Charlie and I were good friends at the reserve, he left me be, didn't force me to talk to anyone and in return I helped him communicate with the dragons. I was rather upset when he came to England, I of course told him he wouldn't last here as he would miss us far too much… the only way he would stay was if he met a girl…

It seems he met a girl," he said almost sadly.

Ara sighed not really wanting to go into her relationship with Charlie with a total stranger. "He loves his dragons, I'm sure he'll return to you… he doesn't love me like that we were only together for a few months."

The man laughed "sweetheart I've been doing this for a long time and I know that you're his soulmate. You may not realize it, but he does indeed love you like that."

Ara wasn't sure what to say about that, it hadn't been the first time for her to hear it, but to hear it coming from a dragon… well she had always heard that dragons were wise creatures.

"what is your name?" Ara asked.

The man raised his eyebrows in surprise "it's been a long time since anyone has asked… I suppose you can call me Kit."

Ara nodded "I'm Ara, I go to school in Bulgaria."

"And yet you are British?"

Ara shrugged "my uncle wanted me educated at Durmstrang."

The man nodded, although he knew that there was more behind the story. Kit held out his arm "come with me Ara, let us get you this trophy."

Ara hesitated, she wasn't entirely certain what Kit was, but she had a feeling he wasn't one to be trusted completely. On the other hand, he did know Charlie and seemed to like Charlie well enough.

She reached forward and grabbed the man's arm and the two of them began walking through the maze. As they rounded a corner, they came across another blast ended skrewt. Ara could barely hold back her shock as the man blew fire, causing the screwt to burn, letting them pass easily.

They made it through several more turns when Ara saw it from a distance; glittering in the moonlight.

"I'm afraid this is as far as I can take you," he said quietly "Please come visit me in Romania."

Ara looked at the man and smiled "I will," she promised, and she intended to keep that promise like he had kept his.

The trophy was in the middle of the maze, there were entrances on either side. While the way appeared clear, she knew it couldn't be quite that easy. She began running towards the middle. Several large acromantula's came out of the hedges, ready to bite. Ara barely held back a scream before starting to send stunners. She put a barrier over herself, protecting herself from their poison while still shooting, aiming for their underbelly as it seemed to be the softest spot, much like with the Blast Ended Skrewt.

As she got rid of them she continued to run, her feet getting heavy. The hedges began to move once more, this time they seemed to be closing in on her from both sides, so she pressed on, making her legs move as fast as possible.

When the cup was in reach, she reached forward only to find herself hit hard in chest. She felt like the world tilted as the invisible spell hit her and she flew upwards, leveling with the tops of the hedge. She was on what felt like glass, unable to get back down to earth.

She tried multiple spells, tried blowing apart the glass beneath her, but nothing seemed to work.

As she stared down, she saw Cedric and Harry at the far end of the maze section. She yelled for them, but it seemed they couldn't see or hear her. The two of them were sprinting towards the cup, Cedric slightly ahead of Harry.

Ara watched as Cedric fell and a giant spider (much larger than the ones she fought) came out of the hedge, bearing down on Cedric. Both Harry and Cedric began shooting spells at it. She yelled for Harry as the spider bit his leg, but the yell did no good. When they were finally able to take down the spider the two of them stood there, deciding what to do from there. It seemed that they were arguing. Ara watched as Cedric helped Harry walk and the two of them grabbed the Trophy together.

The glass wall fell with a shatter and Ara landed hard on the ground having just watched Cedric and Harry disappear.

She groaned and rolled onto her back, trying to take deep breaths after losing all of the air in her lungs.

She could see footsteps approaching, or rather a foot step and a wooden leg.

"Get up Lestrange," the gruff voice of Alastor Moody came.

He grabbed her by her cloak and pulled her harshly off the ground. He thrust something into her hand. Ara was shocked to look down and see the Triwizard tournament.

"what?" she asked astonished.

"It's yours," he said plainly, turning to walk away. "You got there first, it's yours."

Ara shook her head, that wasn't right. There had been one obstacle that she couldn't get past and that prevented her from getting the cup.

"They beat me to the cup… I couldn't get passed the last obstacle," she said, trying to hand the trophy back to Moody.

"No that's not right… you did get past it, but I prevented you from getting the cup." He paused briefly, staring at Ara, his eye looking around in the back of his head. "Get it through your thick skull Lestrange! I stuck you behind that barrier! It wasn't an obstacle."

"Why though?" she asked.

Moody shrugged "I needed Potter to get to the cup first."

Ara frowned, looking down at the trophy still in her hand and back up to where the other one sat. Her eyes widened as she realized what had happened. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at the man. "it was a portkey… where are they?" she demanded.

Moody laughed "Put away your wand, you can't hurt me."

"of course, I can… you're not the real Alastor Moody are you?"

The Moody impersonator laughed "no I daresay I'm not, thank God."

"Where are they?" she asked again, this time more forceful, her wand held steadily in front of her.

"look, I would tell you, I really would… but we aren't entirely sure where your loyalties lie," he said with a shrug. "Now take the trophy to the front and claim the winnings like a good girl."

Ara hated people like him. People who reminded her so much of her uncle. People who thought so little of others.

" _imperio_ " she whispered hitting the man straight in the back.

He stiffened briefly before shaking his head and Ara felt the curse break. She frowned, while she had never done it before, the intent was certainly there.

"I'm glad to see you aren't above the unforgivable Ara… your mother will be pleased. Unfortunately for you, I learned to fight it."

Ara sighed, of course he did.

"now you silly child, do you honestly think you can beat me?" he asked. "you're pathetic, could hardly make it through the second task."

Ara scoffed at the man, sure the second task had been bad, but that wasn't usually how it went. She cast a couple of nonverbals at the man which he easily deflected.

"I will never understand why it is that the Dark Lord wants you by his side so badly, you're path-"

He was cut off by Ara firing a string of hexes, strong enough to make him lose his focus and his balance. He stumbled backwards, but still stayed upright. It was then that he started fighting intently, shooting spells that Ara blocked easily. Ara recognized a few of them and realized that he was the man who had stunned her when she was near the forest with Crouch and Harry.

"You know, you only attack when no one can see you… What's a matter? You afraid of being on the same foot as someone?" she mocked. "Afraid to fight a small girl like a real man?"

The moody impersonator snarled and shot a cutting spell breaking through Ara's shield and cutting her across the face. She could feel small drops of blood dripping down her face and the wand leave her hand, but she merely smiled at the smirking man.

She began fighting harder, calling the shadows to her with one hand, holding a shield with her other. The shadows broke his shield, knocking him to the ground and blinding him briefly.

Ara walked over to him, holding him by the neck as his vision cleared. For the first time he looked frightened.

"Maybe next time, you won't underestimate me," she said with a small laugh.

"No," he said simply, and Ara was taken aback by his admission.

"where are they?" she asked quietly, still holding tightly, encouraging the shadows to hold him down.

"I can't tell you… not yet," he said, and he truly seemed to be struggling with whether or not to say anything.

Ara tilted her head "well then… sorry about this… _Legilimens"_ she said forcefully, squeezing his neck to make him lose focus. She delved into his mind, as far as she could go. She could feel him squirming beneath her, trying to shake her off, but she didn't let it deter her.

She finally saw it, a graveyard with the name Little Hangleton.

"Thank you," she said as she pulled out of his mind. She let go of him, but the shadows remained, holding him down.

"They'll release you when I'm gone," she said, pulling the compass out of her pocket. " _portus"_ she whispered after grabbing her wand off the floor.

She had never made a portkey before, but she knew the magic behind it. She figured now was as good of a time as any to learn to do it. It wasn't as though she could apparate within the Hogwarts grounds, especially not with a clear location in mind.

In a few seconds, she vanished with one last glance at the imposter Alastor who was getting off the floor and taking a swig of his flask.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

She landed just outside the graveyard that she had seen in his mind. She made her way through the gate, careful not to say anything. She didn't want whoever it was that called Harry to hear her.

As she was walking, Ara heard a scream, one that made her stomach drop. "Harry" she whispered and with that thought she began running towards the noise.

She could see fire light as she got closer to the noises and figured that they must not be the only ones there. She hid behind tombstones as she made her way closer. She peaked around one and nearly gasped when she saw a man standing before Harry, dressed in black, whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes and a nose that was flat as a snake with slits for nostrils.

She knew without a doubt that the Dark Lord had risen again. Ara pulled her hood over her head and poked her head out even further. She held back a gasp as she saw Cedric's lifeless body laying on the ground and Harry tied to a tombstone, shaking against its ropes. He was bleeding from his arm and his leg. Directly across from him stood Voldemort and behind him in a half circle stood.

Ara didn't have time to Mourne for the death of her friend, for Voldemort turned back to the Death Eaters behind him.

"I see you all, whole and healthy, with your powers intact - such prompt appearances! and I ask myself. . . why did this band of wizards never come to the aid of their master, to whom they swore eternal loyalty?"

No one spoke. No one moved except one, who was upon the ground, sobbing.

"And I answer myself," whispered Voldemort, "they must have believed me broken, they thought I was gone. They slipped back among my enemies, and they pleaded innocence, and ignorance, and bewitchment ...

"And then I ask myself, but how could they have believed I would not rise again? They, who knew the steps I took, long ago, to guard myself against mortal death? They, who had seen proofs of the immensity of my power in the times when I was mightier than any wizard living?

Ara frowned, what possible steps could he have taken against Death? Everyone had to die eventually, even Nicholas Flamel met his death and he created the eternal stone.

"And I answer myself, perhaps they believed a still greater power could exist, one that could vanquish even Lord Voldemort... perhaps they now pay allegiance to another... perhaps that champion of commoners, of Mudbloods and Muggles, Albus Dumbledore?"

At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the members of the circle stirred, and some muttered and shook their of the men suddenly flung himself forward, breaking the circle. Trembling from head to foot, he collapsed at Voldemort's feet.

"Master!" he shrieked, "Master, forgive me! Forgive us all!"

Voldemort began to laugh. He raised his wand.

" _Crucio_!"

The Death Eater on the ground writhed and shrieked, Ara winced at the sound. She was astonished that anyone would want to follow him, when he tortures those who are most important to him.

Voldemort raised his wand. The tortured Death Eater lay flat upon the ground, gasping.

"Get up, Avery," said Voldemort softly. "Stand up. You ask for forgiveness? I do not forgive. I do not forget. Thirteen long years. . . I want thirteen years' repayment before I forgive you. Wormtail here has paid some of his debt already, have you not, Wormtail?"

He looked down at Pettigrew, who continued to sob.

"You returned to me, not out of loyalty, but out of fear of your old friends. You deserve this pain, Pettigrew. You know that, don't you?"

"Yes, Master," moaned Pettigrew, "please. Master. . . please. . . "

"Yet you helped return me to my body," said Voldemort coolly, watching Pettigrew sob on the ground. "Worthless and traitorous as you are, you helped me. . . and Lord Voldemort rewards his helpers. . . . "

Voldemort raised his wand again and whirled it through the air. A streak of what looked like molten silver hung shining in the wand's wake. Momentarily shapeless, it writhed and then formed itself into a gleaming replica of a human hand, bright as moonlight, which soared downward and fixed itself upon Wormtail's bleeding wrist.

Wormtail's sobbing stopped abruptly. His breathing harsh and ragged, he raised his head and stared in disbelief at the silver hand, now attached seamlessly to his arm, as though he were wearing a dazzling glove. He flexed the shining fingers, then, trembling, picked up a small twig on the ground and crushed it into powder.

"My Lord," he whispered. "Master. . . it is beautiful. . . thank you. . . thank you. . . . "

He scrambled forward on his knees and kissed the hem of Voldemort's robes.

"May your loyalty never waver again, Wormtail," said Voldemort.

"No, my Lord. . . never, my Lord. . . "

Wormtail stood up and took his place in the circle, staring at his powerful new hand, his face still shining with tears. Voldemort now approached the man on Wormtail's right.

"Lucius, my slippery friend," he whispered.

Ara sucked in a breath at the name, she knew he was a supporter, but she suddenly seemed to realize just how dangerous it was for her to be here.

"I am told that you have not renounced the old ways, though to the world you present a respectable face. You are still ready to take the lead in a spot of Muggle-torture, I believe? Yet you never tried to find me, Lucius. . . . Your exploits at the Quidditch World Cup were fun, I daresay. . . but might not your energies have been better directed toward finding and aiding your master?"

"My Lord, I was constantly on the alert," came Lucius Malfoy's voice swiftly from beneath the hood. "Had there been any sign from you, any whisper of your whereabouts, I would have been at your side immediately, nothing could have prevented me -"

"And yet you ran from my Mark, when a faithful Death Eater sent it into the sky last summer?" said Voldemort lazily, and Mr. Malfoy stopped talking abruptly. "Yes, I know all about that, Lucius. . . . You have disappointed me. . . . I expect more faithful service in the future. "

"Of course, my Lord, of course. . . . You are merciful, thank you. . . . "

Voldemort moved on, and stopped, staring at the space - large enough for three people - that separated Malfoy and the next man.

"The Lestranges should stand here," said Voldemort quietly. "But they are entombed in Azkaban. They were faithful. They went to Azkaban rather than renounce me. . . . When Azkaban is broken open, the Lestranges will be honored beyond their dreams. The dementors will join us. . . they are our natural allies. . . we will recall the banished giants. . . I shall have all my devoted servants returned to me, and an army of creatures whom all fear. . . . "

He walked on. Some of the Death Eaters he passed in silence, but he paused before others and spoke to them.

"Macnair. . . destroying dangerous beasts for the Ministry of Magic now, Wormtail tells me? You shall have better victims than that soon, Macnair. Lord Voldemort will provide. . . . "

"Thank you, Master. . . thank you," murmured Macnair.

"And here" - Voldemort moved on to the two largest hooded figures - "we have Crabbe. . . you will do better this time, will you not, Crabbe? And you, Goyle?"

They bowed clumsily, muttering dully.

"Yes, Master. . . "

"We will, Master. . . . "

"The same goes for you, Nott," said Voldemort quietly as he walked past a stooped figure in Mr. Goyles shadow.

"My Lord, I prostrate myself before you, I am your most faithful -"

"That will do," said Voldemort.

He had reached the largest gap of all, and he stood surveying it with his blank, red eyes, as though he could see people standing there.

"And here we have six missing Death Eaters. . . three dead in my service. One, too cowardly to return. . . he will pay. One, who I believe has left me forever. . . he will be killed, of course. . . and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already reentered my service. "

The Death Eaters stirred, and Ara saw their eyes dart sideways at one another through their masks.

"He is at Hogwarts, that faithful servant, and it was through his efforts that our young friend arrived here tonight. . . .

"Yes," said Voldemort, a grin curling his lipless mouth as the eyes of the circle flashed in Harry's direction. "Harry Potter has kindly joined us for my rebirthing party. One might go so far as to call him my guest of honor. "

There was a silence. Then the Death Eater to the right of Wormtail stepped forward, and Lucius Malfoy's voice spoke from under the mask.

"Master, we crave to know. . . we beg you to tell us. . . how you have achieved this. . . this miracle. . . how you managed to return to us. . . . "

"Ah, what a story it is, Lucius," said Voldemort. "And it begins - and ends - with my young friend here. "

He walked lazily over to stand next to Harry, so that the eyes of the whole circle were upon the two of them. The snake continued to circle.

"You know, of course, that they have called this boy my downfall?" Voldemort said softly, his red eyes upon Harry, whose scar began to burn so fiercely that he almost screamed in agony. "You all know that on the night I lost my powers and my body, I tried to kill him. You see I cast the killing curse on his mother, of course I never intended on killing her and I knew that without the intent of the killing curse she would not die… I needed her, however what was done was done - she wouldn't let another one of her children die and unwittingly provided him with a protection I admit I had not foreseen. . . . I could not touch the boy. "

Voldemort raised one of his long white fingers and put it very close to Harry's cheek. Ara made to move closer, but found that she couldn't get closer without making her position known.

"I miscalculated, my friends, I admit it. My curse was deflected by the woman's foolish sacrifice, she after all did not know she would survive, and it rebounded upon myself. Aaah. . . pain beyond pain, my friends; nothing could have prepared me for it. I was ripped from my body, I was less than spirit, less than the meanest ghost. . . but still, I was alive. What I was, even I do not know. . . I, who have gone further than anybody along the path that leads to immortality. You know my goal - to conquer death. And now, I was tested, and it appeared that one or more of my experiments had worked. . . for I had not been killed, though the curse should have done it. Nevertheless, I was as powerless as the weakest creature alive, and without the means to help myself. . . for I had no body, and every spell that might have helped me required the use of a wand. . . .

"I remember only forcing myself, sleeplessly, endlessly, second by second, to exist. . . . I settled in a faraway place, in a forest, and I waited. . . . Surely, one of my faithful Death Eaters would try and find me. . . one of them would come and perform the magic I could not, to restore me to a body. . . , but I waited in vain. . . . "

The shiver ran once more around the circle of listening Death Eaters. Voldemort let the silence spiral horribly before continuing.

"Only one power remained to me. I could possess the bodies of others. But I dared not go where other humans were plentiful, for I knew that the Aurors were still abroad and searching for me.

I sometimes inhabited animals - snakes, of course, being my preference - but I was little better off inside them than as pure spirit, for their bodies were ill adapted to perform magic. . . and my possession of them shortened their lives; none of them lasted long. . . .

"Then. . . four years ago. . . the means for my return seemed assured. A wizard - young, foolish, and gullible - wandered across my path in the forest I had made my home. Oh, he seemed the very chance I had been dreaming of. . . for he was a teacher at Dumbledore's school. . . he was easy to bend to my will. . . he brought me back to this country, and after a while, I took possession of his body, to supervise him closely as he carried out my orders. But my plan failed. I did not manage to steal the Sorcerer's Stone. I was not to be assured immortal life. I was thwarted. . . thwarted, once again, by Harry Potter. . . . "

Silence once more; nothing was stirring, not even the leaves on the yew tree. The Death Eaters were quite motionless, the glittering eyes in their masks fixed upon Voldemort, and upon Harry.

"The servant died when I left his body, and I was left as weak as ever I had been," Voldemort continued. "I returned to my hiding place far away, and I will not pretend to you that I didn't then fear that I might never regain my powers. . . . Yes, that was perhaps my darkest hour. . . I could not hope that I would be sent another wizard to possess. . . and I had given up hope, now, that any of my Death Eaters cared what had become of me. . . . "

One or two of the masked wizards in the circle moved uncomfortably, but Voldemort took no notice.

"And then, not even a year ago, when I had almost abandoned hope, it happened at last. . . a servant returned to me. Wormtail here, who had faked his own death to escape justice, was driven out of hiding by those he had once counted friends, and decided to return to his master. He sought me in the country where it had long been rumored I was hiding. . . helped, of course, by the rats he met along the way. Wormtail has a curious affinity with rats, do you not, Wormtail? His filthy little friends told him there was a place, deep in an Albanian forest, that they avoided, where small animals like themselves had met their deaths by a dark shadow that possessed them. . . .

"But his journey back to me was not smooth, was it, Wormtail? For, hungry one night, on the edge of the very forest where he had hoped to find me, he foolishly stopped at an inn for some food. . . and who should he meet there, but one Bertha Jorkins, a witch from the Ministry of Magic.

"Now see the way that fate favors Lord Voldemort. This might have been the end of Wormtail, and of my last hope for regeneration. But Wormtail - displaying a presence of mind I would never have expected from him - convinced Bertha Jorkins to accompany him on a nighttime stroll. He overpowered her. . . he brought her to me. And Bertha Jorkins, who might have ruined all, proved instead to be a gift beyond my wildest dreams. . . for - with a little persuasion - she became a veritable mine of information.

"She told me that the Triwizard Tournament would be played at Hogwarts this year. She told me that she knew of a faithful Death Eater who would be only too willing to help me, if I could only contact him. She told me many things. . . but the means I used to break the Memory Charm upon her were powerful, and when I had extracted all useful information from her, her mind and body were both damaged beyond repair. She had now served her purpose. I could not possess her. I disposed of her. "

Voldemort smiled his terrible smile, his red eyes blank and pitiless.

"Wormtail's body, of course, was ill adapted for possession, However, he was the able-bodied servant I needed, and, poor wizard though he is, Wormtail was able to follow the instructions I gave him, which would return me to a rudimentary, weak body of my own, a body I would be able to inhabit while awaiting the essential ingredients for true rebirth. . . a spell or two of my own invention. . . a little help from my dear Nagini," Voldemort's red eyes fell upon the continually circling snake, "a potion concocted from unicorn blood, and the snake venom Nagini provided. . . I was soon returned to an almost human form, and strong enough to travel.

"There was no hope of stealing the Sorcerer's Stone anymore, for I knew that Dumbledore would have seen to it that it was destroyed. But I was willing to embrace mortal life again, before chasing immortality. I set my sights lower. . . I would settle for my old body back again, and my old strength.

"I knew that to achieve this - it is an old piece of Dark Magic, the potion that revived me tonight - I would need three powerful ingredients. Well, one of them was already at hand, was it not, Wormtail? Flesh given by a servant. . . .

"My father's bone, naturally, meant that we would have to come here, where he was buried. But the blood of a foe. . . Wormtail would have had me use any wizard, would you not, Wormtail? Any wizard who had hated me. . . as so many of them still do. But I knew the one I must use, if I was to rise again, more powerful than I had been when I had fallen. I wanted Harry Potters blood. I wanted the blood of the one who had stripped me of power thirteen years ago. . . for the lingering protection his mother once gave him would then reside in my veins too. . . .

"But how to get at Harry Potter? For he has been better protected than I think even he knows, protected in ways devised by Dumbledore long ago. Dumbledore invoked an ancient magic, to ensure the boy's protection as long as he is in his mothers' care. Not even I can touch him there. . . . Then, of course, there was the Quidditch World Cup. . . . I thought his protection might be weaker there, away from his parents and Dumbledore, but I was not yet strong enough to attempt kidnap in the midst of a horde of Ministry wizards. And then, the boy would return to Hogwarts, where he is under the crooked nose of that Muggle-loving fool from morning until night. So how could I take him?

"Why. . . by using Bertha Jorkins's information, of course. Use my one faithful Death Eater, stationed at Hogwarts, to ensure that the boy's name was entered into the Goblet of Fire. Use my Death Eater to ensure that the boy won the tournament - that he touched the Triwizard Cup first - the cup which my Death Eater had turned into a Portkey, which would bring him here, beyond the reach of Dumbledore's help and protection, and into my waiting arms. And here he is. . . the boy you all believed had been my downfall. . . . "

Voldemort moved slowly forward and turned to face Harry. He raised his wand.

" _Crucio_!"

Ara ran forward out from behind the tombstone and shot a curse, breaking the connection of Voldemort's spell to Harry.

"Leave him alone," she said, her voice steady. She figured if she was going to die tonight, she may as well try to get Harry to safety.

Voldemort looked at her curiously, a smile spreading onto his face, a smile that made him all the more frightening.

"Ara Lestrange," he said softly as Ara walked forward, lowering her hood. There were several gasps heard from behind Voldemort, but Ara didn't pay them any attention.

"How long have you been here?" he asked, a smile still on his face.

Ara lowered her wand, knowing he wasn't going to kill her yet. "Well I heard your explanation," she said with a shrug.

"Ah… and how did you know where we would be?" he asked.

Ara sighed "your most 'faithful' servant."

"He told you where we would be?" Voldemort asked, his smile dropping to a frown.

Ara nodded "well… he wasn't entirely willing."

Voldemort paused before laughing. "You are like you mother, that I am happy to hear."

Ara shook her head "I'm nothing like her."

Voldmort's smile dropped to a frown "there's nothing wrong with being like her, she is one of my most faithful servants and you of course will have a place in my ranks."

Ara glanced at Harry, who looked helpless.

"I have no desire to kiss the hem of your robes. I serve no one," she said sharply, walking even closer to the group.

"Ara Lestrange, hold your tongue," Lucius said, stepping out of the group towards his niece.

Voldemort put up his hand to silence her Uncle and looked at her curiously, a small smile still on his face "no perhaps you aren't anything like your mother… maybe your father…" he trailed off, turning his back to her.

Ara frowned, she wasn't sure how she was more like her father when he was a servant as well.

"Ara, please stand over here," Voldemort said, surprising everyone with the use of 'please'. Ara did as he asked and stood next to her Uncle who was giving her a stern glare. "I would like to finish my story…"

You see, I think, how foolish it was to suppose that this boy could ever have been stronger than me," said Voldemort. "But I want there to be no mistake in anybody's mind. Harry Potter escaped me by a lucky chance. And I am now going to prove my power by killing him, here and now, in front of you all, when there is no Dumbledore to help him, and no mother to die for him. I will give him his chance. He will be allowed to fight, and you will be left in no doubt which of us is the stronger. Just a little longer, Nagini," he whispered, and the snake glided away through the grass to where the Death Eaters stood watching.

"Now untie him, Wormtail, and give him back his wand. "

Ara stepped out of the ranks once more "why don't you fight me instead?" she asked, her wand held firmly in her hand.

Wormtail cut Harry down and thrust the wand in his hand and Harry staggered to stay upright.

"Why would I want to fight you Ara?" he asked, turning towards her once more.

"Why would you want to fight a fourteen-year-old boy?" she asked harshly. "Good Lord, nobody thinks he's more powerful than you."

Voldemort smiled at her once again, he seemed to take it as a compliment. "You may believe that, but I'm afraid the others do not," he motioned towards the Death Eaters standing behind him.

Ara glanced at them and it seemed some of them did indeed doubt it.

"Oh honestly," she said to the group "No offense Harry, but he is like every other fourteen-year-old, mediocre at magic! He hasn't even come in to his full magical inheritance… I'd have a better chance at killing you than he would," she said, moving firmly between Harry and Voldemort.

Voldemort didn't smile again. "why do you protect the boy Ara?"

Ara scoffed "Because he has a 68-year-old stalker!" she shouted, ignoring Harry's hiss for her to be quiet.

Voldemort's nostrils flared and Ara could tell that he was getting upset. He cursed her which she didn't even see coming. She was forced off to the side and trapped next to a tombstone, much like Harry had been. One of the Death Eaters stepped forward and grabbed the wand from her hand.

Ara struggled against the binds and watched as Voldemort faced Harry once more.

"Leave him be!" Ara shouted, her magic flaring, causing the tombstone she was bound to, to crack.

"I'm going to say this once," Voldemort said, turning to Ara once more "You don't belong with those people, you belong here with us. You are seventeen and it is time you took your side."

"I've taken my side," she shouted, "It's not yours."

Voldemort laughed bitterly " _crucio"_

Ara screamed as the spell ripped through her body. It was far worse than one of Lucius's torture curses.

"Do you really think they'll have you after everything you've done?" Voldemoort asked when the spell stopped. "Have you told young Harry about it?" he asked.

Ara looked at Harry who was looking at her with a frown, struggling to stand.

"Of course, she told me," he said, "leave her alone, it's me you want."

Voldemort laughed "She hasn't told you the truth Harry… she's a murderer."

Harry scoffed "I know she is," he said with a shrug.

Voldemort shook his head and gave harry a pitying look "no Harry, didn't she tell you she's the reason your sister is dead?" he asked.

"Stop it," Ara begged quietly.

"You see Harry that little Alaina was murdered all those years ago, it was Ara who was there. Ara became friends with the girl. Ara was accepted into your parents home. Ara watched as Bellatrix slit her throat. She gained her trust and stabbed her in the back –"

"NO!" Ara shouted, effectively cutting off Voldemort, much to everyone's surprise. She looked at Harry who looked hurt and surprised. "I'm so sorry… I didn't know."

"Don't you see Ara? You belong with us, they will turn their back on you as soon as they know…. Now sit there while we duel," he said, silencing her and turning back to Harry who was still staring at Ara in disbelief.

"You have been taught how to duel. Harry Potter?" said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness.

At these words Harry nodded, Ara was certain that James had taught Harry about dueling, especially considering how many times he had almost been killed.

"We bow to each other. Harry," said Voldemort, bending a little, but keeping his snakelike face upturned to Harry. "Come, the niceties must be observed. . . . Dumbledore would like you to show manners. . . . Bow to death, Harry. . . . "

The Death Eaters were laughing again. Voldemort's lipless mouth was smiling. Harry did not bow. It seemed he was not going to let Voldemort play with him before killing him. . . he was not going to give him that satisfaction. . . .

"I said, bow," Voldemort said, raising his wand - and Ara watched as Harry's spine curved as though a huge, invisible hand were bending him ruthlessly forward, and the Death Eaters laughed harder than ever. She tried to yell once more but it was pointless, she was still silenced.

"Very good," said Voldemort softly, and as he raised his wand and Harry sat up straight once more. "And now you face me, like a man. . . straight-backed and proud…

"And now - we duel. "

Voldemort raised his wand, and before Harry could do anything to defend himself, before he could even move, he was hit again by the cruciatus curse.

Ara yelled and with all the force she could she sent out her magic, shattering the spell on her, allowing her to be heard.

Harry rolled over and scrambled to his feet; he was shaking as uncontrollably as Wormtail had done when his hand had been cut off; he staggered sideways into the wall of watching Death Eaters, and they pushed him away, back toward Voldemort.

"A little break," said Voldemort, the slit-like nostrils dilating with excitement, "a little pause. . . That hurt, didn't it. Harry? You don't want me to do that again, do you?"

Harry didn't respond. He never ceased to amaze Ara. How he could stand there after being tortured and continue to be brave. A weaker man would be begging for his life.

"I asked you whether you want me to do that again," said Voldemort softly. "Answer me! Imperio!"

Harry seemed to be fighting the curse, he wasn't responding. After a few moments he shouted"I WON'T!"his words echoed through the graveyard.

"You won't?" said Voldemort quietly, and the Death Eaters were not laughing now. "You won't say no? Harry, obedience is a virtue I need to teach you before you die. . . . Perhaps another little dose of pain?"

Voldemort raised his wand, but this time Harry seemed ready; with the reflexes born of his Quidditch training, he flung himself sideways onto the ground; he rolled behind the marble headstone of Voldemort's father, ignoring the resounding crack of a spell hitting it.

Ara worked silently, using every spell she could think of to break the binds that held her. Her uncle wasn't paying much attention to her, he would be one of the only ones to realize she didn't need a wand.

"We are not playing hide-and-seek, Harry," said Voldemort's soft, cold voice, as the Death Eaters laughed. "You cannot hide from me. Does this mean you are tired of our duel? Does this mean that you would prefer me to finish it now, Harry? Come out, Harry. . . come out and play, then. . . it will be quick. . . it might even be painless. . . I would not know. . . I have never died. . . . "

Ara managed to release the bond and she fell quietly onto the stone beneath her, the others didn't notice for they were far too focused on Harry. She pulled up her hood, doing her best to blend in with the others as she walked between them, making her way towards Voldemort. She managed to sneak her wand back from Wormtail and when she reached an area where no one separated her from Voldemort, she shoved her wand into the dirt, whispering a spell that erected an invisible barrier surrounding her and Voldemort.

Voldemort turned quickly when he realized what had been done. Ara pulled her hood down and circled around him so that she was now standing closer to Harry. The other Death Eaters moved to try and help, but Voldemort called them off.

"You have pushed me too far tonight Ara," he said quietly.

Ara shrugged "Does it look like I give a damn?"

Voldemort shook his head and glanced back at his Death Eaters. "I will no doubt be speaking to Lucius about how you ended up like this."

"Have at it," she said nonchalantly "truthfully had he been less evil, I might have actually followed in his footsteps and joined you. You see, _my Lord,_ I don't understand you… You really need to work on your recruitment system because what you have going will not work for you. Grindewald was one of the greatest wizards to ever live, but you know what? He went after the one person who could kill him and won him over! He made people believe in what he believed, but not by torturing." She hesitated slightly, Voldemort hadn't raised his wand to her yet, but instead looked at her curiously. "You could be great you know and I don't mean great like Albus Dumbledore. You did well in the first war, you had people who believed what you believe, but now you are working off of fear and that won't get you very far…. It didn't get you me and I'm an excellent witch, very powerful, very smart."

Ara turned so her back was to Voldemort, she knew she should be concerned that he would curse her, but she needed to make eye contact. He had moved out from behind the gravestone and was staring at her intently. She did her best to push into his mind, to plant a though.

 _Get back to the portkey… I'll distract them_ she thought repeatedly until Harry gave a small nod, having understood.

Ara turned back around. "I elected to do a small report on Grindelwald when I was at Durmstrang…"

"I've heard enough about him… he couldn't accomplish what I've been able to," Voldemort said stiffly.

"no… but would you like to know one thing I learned from him?"

Voldemort scoffed "and what would that be?"

Ara dropped the barrier separating them from everyone else. The Death Eaters moved forward, but Ara remained firmly between them and Harry.

" _Protego Diabolica!"_ Ara shouted, slicing the air with her arm. A jet of blue flames erupted completely separating her and Harry from the Death Eaters. Ara knew it was dangerous. She knew she was risking wiping out an entire city if she couldn't stop it.

The Death Eaters moved forward, shooting at the flames, which proved to be pointless as the flames devoured the spells.

Voldemort was yelling and as Ara looked behind her, she saw Harry standing at Cedric's lifeless body. "Come with me," he said.

Ara looked back at the flame, she knew she couldn't leave. If she did it would indeed destroy the town.

She turned back towards Harry and shook her head "Go," she said loudly watching the flame spread out of the corner of her eye. "Harry go now!"

Harry simply sat there, holding tight to Cedric. "They'll kill you," he said.

Ara smiled sadly "I owe your family a life," she said plainly.

Harry shook his head adamantly "You were only a child… What happened to Alaina wasn't your fault," he insisted.

Ara shook her head, the flame was getting out of control "Harry go! Please," she begged.

With one last look at her, Harry summoned the Portkey and in a flash he was gone.

Ara turned back to the Death Eaters, it appeared one of them had attempted to go through the flame and had been killed instantly, dissipating into nothing but dust. The others were trying to find a way through it without being killed. Voldemort simply stood, furious that Harry was gone.

Ara did her best to retract the curse. " _Protego Stilla,"_ she whispered repetitively, willing all of her magic to make the spell stop.

She was getting frustrated, losing energy, but the spell continued. " _PROTEGO STILLA"_ she shouted once more and the fire finally died down.

Ara dropped to her knees, feeling completely drained. She didn't have the energy to fight the Death Eaters.

Ara felt a shadow looming over her and she looked up defiantly in the face of Voldemort. "I may not be able to protect him forever, but I at least got him out of your grasp this time." She said flatly, not bothering to stand.

Voldemort shook his head "you could have killed us all with that fire," he said and Ara knew that he was asking her why she didn't.

Ara scoffed "I'm not a murderer… and to kill you I'd have to wipe out the entire town… I'm not looking to raise my body count that much just yet."

Voldemort took Ara by surprised and crouched down so that she could see him better. "I'm not going to kill you Ara.. you are young, but you have a purpose… and you may be right, maybe I do need to step up my game… it would of course be beneficial if I had your help."

Ara stared at the man "I told you, I have no desire to kiss your robes."

Voldemort stood and took a step back "We could work together… I won't make you kiss my robes. Think about it." He began to walk away, back towards his Death Eaters. "Leave her alive," was all he said before a pop was heard.

Ara felt it instantly, the pain of knives slicing into her skin as one of the Death Eaters shot a cutting curse at her. It sliced into her stomach and she had the sickening feeling that whoever had done it had been wanting to for a while. She watched as slowly, one by one, the Death Eaters began leaving until only one remained.

Lucius removed his hood and looked at her "I told you it would be in your best interest to do as I say," he said calmly.

Ara snorted "Please Uncle Lucius, I did what you said, I never would have entered this goddamn tournament if I hadn't wanted to make you proud."

Lucius sighed and for a brief moment Ara wondered if he actually cared. He grabbed a stone, whispered a spell and shoved it into Ara's hand.

"The Dark Lord doesn't want you dead, I suggest you get some medical attention."

Ara looked at the stone and, in another second, she was being whisked away by her navel.

She landed hard on the ground. She laid with her eyes closed, willing herself not to throw up as the pain laced through her body. When she felt that the world had stabilized, she opened her eyes and saw the gates of Hogwarts.


	20. Chapter 20

Harry felt himself slam flat into the ground; his face was pressed into grass; the smell of it filled his nostrils. He had closed his eyes while the Portkey transported him, and he kept them closed now. He did not move. All the breath seemed to have been knocked out of him; his head was swimming so badly he felt as though the ground beneath him were swaying like the deck of a ship. To hold himself steady, he tightened his hold on the two things he was still clutching: the smooth, cold handle of the Triwizard Cup and Cedric's body. He felt as though he would slide away into the blackness gathering at the edges of his brain if he let go of either of them. Shock and exhaustion kept him on the ground, breathing in the smell of the grass, waiting. . . waiting for someone to do something. . . something to happen. . . and all the while, his scar burned dully on his forehead. . . .

A torrent of sound deafened and confused him; there were voices everywhere, footsteps, screams. . . . He remained where he was, his face screwed up against the noise, as though it were a nightmare that would pass. . . .

Then a pair of hands seized him roughly and turned him over.

"Harry! Harry!"

He opened his eyes.

He was looking up at the starry sky, and Albus Dumbledore was crouched over him. The dark shadows of a crowd of people pressed in around them, pushing nearer; Harry felt the ground beneath his head reverberating with their footsteps.

He had come back to the edge of the maze. He could see the stands rising above him, the shapes of people moving in them, the stars above. He could see his parents and Sirius running towards them.

Harry let go of the cup, but he clutched Cedric to him even more tightly. He raised his free hand and seized Dumbledore's wrist, while Dumbledore's face swam in and out of focus.

"He's back," Harry whispered. "He's back. Voldemort. "

"Harry," James said, landing on his knees next to his son. He glanced him over, sucking in a deep breath. He ran a shaky hand through Harry's hair.

"Voldemort is back," Harry said again, his eyes glued to his fathers. From the corner of his eye he could see his mother being held back by Sirius.

"What's going on? What's happened?"

The face of Cornelius Fudge appeared upside down over Harry; it looked white, appalled.

"My God - Diggory!" it whispered. "Dumbledore - he's dead!"

The words were repeated, the shadowy figures pressing in on them gasped it to those around them. . . and then others shouted it - screeched it - into the night - "He's dead!" "He's dead!" "Cedric Diggory! Dead!"

"Harry, let go of him," he heard Fudge's voice say, and he felt fingers trying to pry him from Cedric's limp body, but Harry wouldn't let him go. Then his father's face, which was still blurred and misted, came closer.

"Harry, you can't help him now. It's over. Let go. "

"His parents needed a body," It seemed important to explain this. While he couldn't remember the death of his sister, his parents would be forever devastated burying an empty casket.

"That's right. Harry. . . just let go now. . . . "

James reached down and pulled Harry upwards so he was standing on his feet. Harry swayed. His head was pounding. His injured leg would no longer support his weight. The crowd around them jostled, fighting to get closer, pressing darkly in on him - "What's happened?" "What's wrong with him?" "Diggory's dead!"

"He'll need to go to the hospital wing!" Fudge was saying loudly. "He's ill, he's injured - Dumbledore, Diggory's parents, they're here, they're in the stands. . . . "

Lily made her way to Harry, no longer allowing Sirius to hold her back. She hugged him tightly and it was then that Harry remembered. He pulled back and turned back to his father who was staring at the lifeless body of Cedric.

"Ara - you have to save her," he said grabbing his father desperately.

"Where is she Harry?" he asked, glancing around as though hoping she would jump out from behind a bush.

"At the graveyard… she says she deserves to die, but she doesn't dad. It isn't her fault Alaina died, she was only a kid! Please save her," the words came out in a jumble. James look surprised at the mention of his daughter but did question him further.

"Wait here okay? Do not leave this spot." James said sternly before walking towards Lily and Sirius, pulling them both away and towards the Weasleys.

Lily looked back at her son, clearly wanting nothing more than to stay there with him.

"Its all right, son, I've got you. . . come on. . . hospital wing. . . "

"Dad said stay," said Harry thickly, the pounding in his scar making him feel as though he was about to throw up; his vision was blurring worse than ever.

"You need to lie down. . . . Come on now. . . . "

Someone larger and stronger than he was half pulling, half carrying him through the frightened crowd. Harry heard people gasping, screaming, and shouting as the man supporting him pushed a path through them, taking him back to the castle. Across the lawn, past the lake and the Durmstrang ship, Harry heard nothing but the heavy breathing of the man helping him walk.

"What happened. Harry?" the man asked at last as he lifted Harry up the stone steps. Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. It was Mad-Eye Moody.

"Cup was a Portkey," said Harry as they crossed the entrance hall. "Took me and Cedric to a graveyard. . . and Voldemort was there. . . Lord Voldemort. . . "

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Up the marble stairs. . .

"The Dark Lord was there? What happened then?"

"Killed Cedric. . . they killed Cedric. . . . "

"And then?"

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Along the corridor. . .

"Made a potion. . . got his body back. . . . "

"The Dark Lord got his body back? He's returned?"

"And the Death Eaters came. . . and then we dueled. . . . "

"You dueled with the Dark Lord?"

"Got away. . . Ara helped..."

"In here. Harry. . . in here, and sit down. . . . You'll be all right now. . . drink this. . . . "

Harry heard a key scrape in a lock and felt a cup being pushed into his hands.

"Drink it. . . you'll feel better. . . come on, now. Harry, I need to know exactly what happened. . . . "

Moody helped tip the stuff down Harry's throat; he coughed, a peppery taste burning his throat. Moody's office came into sharper focus, and so did Moody himself. . . . He looked as white as Fudge had looked, and both eyes were fixed unblinkingly upon Harry's face.

"Voldemort's back, Harry? You're sure he's back? How did he do it?"

"He took stuff from his father's grave, and from Wormtail, and me," said Harry. His head felt clearer; his scar wasn't hurting so badly; he could now see Moody's face distinctly, even though the office was dark. He could still hear screaming and shouting from the distant Quidditch field.

"What did the Dark Lord take from you?" said Moody.

"Blood," said Harry, raising his arm. His sleeve was ripped where Wormtail's dagger had torn it.

Moody let out his breath in a long, low hiss.

"And the Death Eaters? They returned?"

"Yes," said Harry. "Loads of them. . . "

"How did he treat them?" Moody asked quietly. "Did he forgive them?"

But Harry had suddenly remembered. He should have told Dumbledore, he should have said it straightaway -

"There's a Death Eater at Hogwarts! There's a Death Eater here - they put my name in the Goblet of Fire, they made sure I got through to the end -"

Harry tried to get up, but Moody pushed him back down.

"I know who the Death Eater is," he said quietly.

"Karkaroff?" said Harry wildly. "Where is he? Have you got him? Is he locked up?"

"Karkaroff?" said Moody with an odd laugh. "Karkaroff fled tonight, when he felt the Dark Mark burn upon his arm. He betrayed too many faithful supporters of the Dark Lord to wish to meet them. . . but I doubt he will get far. The Dark Lord has ways of tracking his enemies. "

"Karkaroff's gone? He ran away? But then - he didn't put my name in the goblet?"

"No," said Moody slowly. "No, he didn't. It was I who did that. "

Harry heard, but didn't believe.

"No, you didn't," he said. "You didn't do that. . . you can't have done. . . you were friends with my dad…"

"I assure you I did," said Moody, and his magical eye swung around and fixed upon the door, and Harry knew he was making sure that there was no one outside it. At the same time, Moody drew out his wand and pointed it at Harry.

"He forgave them, then?" he said. "The Death Eaters who went free? The ones who escaped Azkaban?"

"What?" said Harry.

He was looking at the wand Moody was pointing at him. This was a bad joke, it had to be.

"I asked you," said Moody quietly, "whether he forgave the scum who never even went to look for him. Those treacherous cowards who wouldn't even brave Azkaban for him. The faithless, worthless bits of filth who were brave enough to cavort in masks at the Quidditch World Cup, but fled at the sight of the Dark Mark when I fired it into the sky. "

"You fired. . . What are you talking about. . . ?"

"I told you. Harry. . . I told you. If there's one thing I hate more than any other, it's a Death Eater who walked free. They turned their backs on my master when he needed them most. I expected him to punish them. I expected him to torture them. Tell me he hurt them, Harry. . . . " Moody's face was suddenly lit with an insane smile. "Tell me he told them that I, I alone remained faithful. . . prepared to risk everything to deliver to him the one thing he wanted above all. . . you. "

"You didn't. . . it - it can't be you. . . . "

"Who put your name in the Goblet of Fire, under the name of a different school? I did. Who frightened off every person I thought might try to hurt you or prevent you from winning the tournament? I did."

Moody's magical eye had now left the door. It was fixed upon Harry. His lopsided mouth leered more widely than ever.

"I was quite lucky that Ara was around, I will say she made my job much easier."

Harry stuttered "Ara… she wasn't apart of it…"

"No she didn't know of my plan, that is true, but she took an interest in you! She made sure you got through the tournament. She told you about the dragon… she told you about the egg… it made my job much easier."

Moody's wand was still pointing directly at Harry's heart. Over his shoulder, foggy shapes were moving in the Foe-Glass on the wall.

"You were so long in that lake, Potter, I thought you had drowned. But luckily, Dumbledore took your idiocy for nobility, and marked you high for it. I breathed again.

"You had an easier time of it than you should have in that maze tonight, of course," said Moody. "I was patrolling around it, able to see through the outer hedges, able to curse many obstacles out of your way. I put Ara under the imperius curse… she stunned Fleur Delacour. I had hoped that she would finish Diggory and leave your path to the cup clear. "

Harry stared at Moody. He just didn't see how this could be. . . . Dumbledore's friend, the famous Auror. . . the one who had caught so many Death Eaters. . . It made no sense. . . no sense at all. . . .

The foggy shapes in the Foe-Glass were sharpening, had become more distinct. Harry could see the outlines of one person over Moody's shoulder, moving closer and closer. But Moody wasn't watching it. His magical eye was upon Harry.

"The Dark Lord didn't manage to kill you. Potter, and he so wanted to," whispered Moody. "Imagine how he will reward me when he finds I have done it for him. I gave you to him - the thing he needed above all to regenerate - and then I killed you for him. I will be honored beyond all other Death Eaters. I will be his dearest, his closest supporter. . . closer than a son. . . . "

Moody's normal eye was bulging, the magical eye fixed upon Harry. The door was barred, and Harry knew he would never reach his own wand in time. . . .

"The Dark Lord and I," said Moody, and he looked completely insane now, towering over Harry, leering down at him, "have much in common. Both of us, for instance, had very disappointing fathers. . . very disappointing indeed. Both of us suffered the indignity, Harry, of being named after those fathers. And both of us had the pleasure. . . the very great pleasure. . . of killing our fathers to ensure the continued rise of the Dark Order!"

"You're mad," Harry said - he couldn't stop himself- "you're mad!"

"Mad, am I?" said Moody, his voice rising uncontrollably. "We'll see! We'll see who's mad, now that the Dark Lord has returned, with me at his side! He is back, Harry Potter, you did not conquer him - and now - I conquer you!"

Moody raised his wand, he opened his mouth; Harry plunged his own hand into his robes –

With a bang, Moody was thrown backwards into the wall behind him.

* * *

Ara knew she needed to move. She knew she couldn't lay there all night, but she couldn't get her aching muscles to cooperate. She could feel her shirt wet with blood, sticking to her skin.

She wasn't sure what she was going to do now, it seemed she was out of options. She had made her decision, chosen to save Harry and while it didn't seem like Voldemort was giving up on her, she didn't want to serve him. She didn't want to serve anyone. She wanted no part in the war that was coming, but she knew that wouldn't be an option. She had to protect those she cared about and they all seemed to be closely related to the war.

She thought of Harry, the look on his face when he learned what she had done. How she was involved in the death of his sister. She didn't know where that would take them, he had said it wasn't her fault. One thing that she knew was that she would protect Harry. She would ensure that the Potters didn't lose another child.

"Shit," she said, remembering the Mad Eye Moody impersonator.

She sat up as quickly as her muscles would allow. She looked at the castle and knew she needed to get to him quickly.

With all the effort she could, she stood and walked onto the Hogwarts grounds, heading in the direction of the maze. She walked as quickly as her legs would allow, slowly getting herself to break into a jog.

She knew it was dangerous doing it on the Hogwarts grounds, but she called the shadows to her, gaining strength and breaking into a run, using every ounce of power she had.

When the maze was in sight, she let up her magic, slowing to a jog. The scene that met her at the Maze was chaos. People were screaming and crying, Ara could only assume that they saw Cedric's lifeless form and perhaps they knew of Voldemort's rebirth.

"Headmaster," she gasped out. Dumbledore turned, a brief look of surprise crossed his face. The Minister of Magic was standing next to him and it seemed that the two of them had been talking to the Diggory's who kneeled next to Cedric.

"Lestrange! What on earth happened to you?" Fudge asked.

Ara didn't pay attention to the man, her attention was still on Dumbledore. "Where's Harry?" She asked

"He was with his parents last I saw him," he said kindly, reaching forward to stabilize her.

Ara looked past Dumbledore, praying that Harry was safe with his parents.

"Ara, you need the hospital wing," Dumbledore said softly.

Ara shook her head. "Excuse me professor," she said, rushing passed him when she saw a familiar messy head of hair.

She looked around desperately, but Harry was nowhere in sight.

"Where's Harry?"

James looked at her shocked, reaching out to steady her as she swayed.

"You're soaked in blood," Sirius said coming to her other side. "Let's get you to the hospital wing."

Ara jerked away from the two of them, looking around the area, hoping once more to catch sight of Harry.

"Where the bloody hell is Harry?" she asked loudly.

"He's fine Ara," Lily said comfortingly. "He's with Alastor."

"What?" James asked, looking around the stadium.

"Bloody fuck!" Ara shouted, pushing past the small group that surrounded her and sprinting as fast as her body would allow.

The others were running with her, catching up with her easily.

"You'll kill yourself if you don't stop," Sirius said, trying to grab her to stop.

Ara ripped her arm out of his grip once more. "Moody's a bloody Death Eater!"

"No he's not… We've known him for years," James said disbelievingly.

Ara could feel the tears springing to her eyes, she wasn't sure if it was from the pain or from worry. "He's not really Moody," she said.

With all her energy, Ara called the shadows to her once more, not caring that others could see. The other three began swearing as the darkness surrounded them, but they still ran to keep up with her. With all her might she focused on the castle, envisioning the serpentine corridor where she knew Moody's office was. With a small twist of her body, she felt herself being pulled through a tight tunnel, much tighter than normal apparition given that she was on the Hogwarts grounds and with a loud bang she landed flat on her back in the corridor.

She waited until the dizziness had passed before running in the direction of the classroom. She listened at the door and could hear the Death Eater telling Harry he was going to kill them. She knew she had to act quick and with a bang she flung open the door and knocked the Death Eater off of his feet.

Harry looked at the door and was stunned to see Ara standing there, her wand stretched out in front of her, a look of fury on her face. Her robes were covered in blood and Harry briefly wondered how it was possible for her to still be standing.

There was a quick movement from where Moody was and Harry found himself stuck in front of the man, a wand pointed at his neck.

"Who are you?" Ara asked, her wand now pointed at him and Harry.

"I'm sure you'd like to know… How is it that you betrayed the Dark Lord and still managed to escape?"

Ara shook her head "Hard to betray a man you never pledged loyalty to." She said simply.

"Well that's fine, I'll finish Harry and then I'll finish you as well."

Ara scoffed "Did you learn from the first time? I thought you'd be done underestimating me."

"You caught me off guard, that was it."

She shook her head once more "I won a duel… Truthfully, Harry wouldn't be here right now if your mind wasn't so weak," she spat. Harry knew she was playing with fire.

He dug his wand into Harry's throat, causing him to wince.

 _Jump to the left when I tell you,_ Ara's voice entered Harry's mind, but her lips didn't move, much like when they were at the graveyard. Harry did his best to nod his understanding.

 _Now_ Harry dove to the side, away from the wand just as a jet of light came flying towards him.

From the ground he saw Moody stumble, but stay upright. Harry moved towards the desk as a flash of green light crossed the room. He silently prayed that it didn't hit Ara. He peeked out from behind the desk only to pull back quickly as another flash of green light nearly hit him.

Harry was rather amazed at the duel, it was clear that Ara was more powerful, but the Death Eater had more technique. There was another flash of light, this one a blinding white color. Harry watched as Moody fell, blood spurting from his neck.

He slowly moved from behind the desk and looked at Ara her wand hand dropping to her side. She stared at the man.

Moody's figure had began to change. The scars were disappearing, the skin was becoming smooth; the mangled nose became whole and started to shrink. The long mane of grizzled gray hair was withdrawing into the scalp and turning the color of straw. Suddenly, with a loud clunk, the wooden leg fell away as a normal leg regrew in its place; next moment, the magical eyeball had popped out of the man's face as a real eye replaced it; it rolled away across the floor and continued to swivel in every direction.

He looked at Ara who wore a look of surprise, she seemed to recognize the man.

"Who is he?" Harry asked, surprising himself at how shaky his voice was.

Ara shook her head "its not possible… "

"Is he dead?"

Ara nodded, almost sadly. "I couldn't let him kill you," was all she said. She turned away from the body, turning towards Harry when her legs gave out from underneath her and she began falling forward, clutching her stomach.

Harry moved as quickly as he could on his bad leg, catching her before she hit the floor. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder and the two of them shakily made their way out of the classroom, not looking back at the body on the ground. As they were walking down the corridor, James, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Severus, Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore caught up with them.

Lily quickly made her way to Harry, pulling him into a hug, while Sirius supported Ara.

Ara ignored Sirius's worrying and turned to Dumbledore. "Barty Crouch Junior was impersonating Alastor Moody… now he's dead."

Dumbledore looked at her searchingly, thinking over what she said.

"Barty Crouch Junior's dead," James said, supporting Harry.

Ara shrugged "well if you walk into Moody's classroom you'll find him on the floor and he certainly hasn't been dead for years."

"Severus," Dumbledore finally spoke, "Please meet me and Minerva in the Defense classroom… I'd like to see the rest of you in my office," he said with a frown.

Ara shook her head and backed away "I need to go." She said, grabbing her stomach.

"They need the hospital wing Albus," Lily said, still holding tightly to her son. "They've been through enough."

"I am sorry Lily, but I'm afraid I must see them, it can't wait until tomorrow," he said, holding up his hand.

Lily made to protest once more but was stopped by James "we'll head up there Albus," he said giving his wife a pointed look.

Knowing she couldn't get out of it, she allowed Sirius to help her towards the Headmaster's office while the other three headed to the classroom.

When they made it to Dumbledore's office, the adults summoned chairs for Ara and Harry. Ara sank gratefully into her seat. Lily made to look at Harry's leg but he brushed her off.

"Ara needs you more mum," he said, looking worriedly at her.

"I'm fine," Ara said quietly when Lily came over to her.

"That's why your shirt is soaked in blood?"

"What makes you think it's mine?" Ara asked with a scoff.

Lily gave her a small glare and Ara stopped arguing. She lifted up Ara's shirt enough to see the large mark. She put dittany on them without question and Ara hissed in relief as her wounds began to heal.

"what did they use?" Sirius asked when Lily was finished.

Ara shrugged "cutting hex I'd guess."

The door opened and Dumbledore walked in followed by the other two professors. Dumbledore summoned several additional chairs allowing for Lily to sit.

"Professor," Harry mumbled when Dumbledore was seated behind his desk, "where are Mr. and Mrs. Diggory?"

"They are with Professor Sprout," said Dumbledore. His voice, which had been so calm shook very slightly for the first time. "She was Head of Cedric's house, and knew him best. "

There was a soft rush of wings. Fawkes the phoenix had left his perch, flown across the office, and landed on Harry's knee.

"'Lo, Fawkes," said Harry quietly. He stroked the phoenix's beautiful scarlet-and-gold plumage.

Dumbledore was looking at Ara, who avoided his eyes. Dumbledore was going to question her. She was mostly worried about repeating everything about the dark magic

"I need to know what happened after you touched the Portkey in the maze," said Dumbledore. I know you don't want to talk about it and If I thought I could help you both," Dumbledore said gently, "by putting you into an enchanted sleep and allowing you to postpone the moment when you would have to think about what has happened tonight, I would do it. But I know better. Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it. You have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you. I ask you to demonstrate your courage one more time. I ask you to tell us what happened. "

The phoenix let out one soft, quavering note. It shivered in the air, and Ara felt as though a drop of hot liquid had slipped down her throat into her stomach, warming her, and strengthening her.

She glanced at Harry, who was looking adamantly at his hands. "I can't tell the whole story," she began, still looking at Harry "but I can tell my part… I reached the end of the maze, saw the trophy and as I got close to it I was thrown into the air, unable to touch it… I watched as Harry and Cedric grabbed it at the same time and it was then that I was dropped onto the ground… Barty Crouch Jr, who looked like Moody appeared and… well… I realized he set up Harry and that he was in danger, so we dueled, I won and was able to gain his location… I made a portkey and transported myself to the Graveyard at Little Hangleton."

The adults in the room were silent, but Ara couldn't seem to pull her gaze from Harry, who was now looking at her.

"When we landed in the graveyard," Harry began, seemingly gaining strength from Ara "Wormtail was there, carrying a bundle of blankets that had some form of Voldemort… the one I've been dreaming about. Voldemort told him to kill the spare…"

Harry retold the events in the Graveyard, speaking about the ritual that gave Voldemort back his body, which made Ara ache for him, that he had to experience something like that. When he got to the part about Voldemort taking Harry's blood, James pulled up Harry's sleeve and looked at the cut on his arm, rubbing his face worriedly.

"He said my blood would make him stronger than if he'd used someone else's," Harry said. "He said the protection mum left in me - he'd have it too. And he was right - he could touch me without hurting himself, he touched my face. "

For a fleeting instant, Ara thought she saw a gleam of something like triumph in Dumbledore's eyes. But next second, she was sure she had imagined it, for when Dumbledore had returned to his seat behind the desk, he looked as old and weary as Ara had ever seen him.

"Very well," he said, sitting down again. "Voldemort has overcome that particular barrier. Harry, continue, please. "

Harry told them of how the Death Eaters appeared and then Ara made herself known. He seemed to speak favorably of Ara, much to her surprise.

"I'm not sure what happened… Ara told me to run, to take the portkey back to Hogwarts… She used some sort of shield spell and I left…" he said looking at Ara intently. He didn't mention the part about Alaina.

Ara looked down at her hands "when Harry was gone, I was left with the Death Eaters.. Voldemort told them to let me live."

"Is that when you got the wounds?" Sirius asked, confusion written on his face as well as the faces of the other adults, knowing that there was more to the story.

"Ara, why didn't you fight?" Lily asked, her voice was shaky.

Ara shook her head "I couldn't, I was completely drained magically."

There was silence around the room.

"What spell did you use?" Dumbledore asked, no twinkle left in his eyes.

Ara couldn't make eye contact, she left her gaze on her hands. "It was a variation of protego," she said simply.

"It was amazing," Harry began, awe filling his voice. "It was blue fire that stopped every spell from passing it –"

"Harry," Ara snapped causing Harry to fall silent.

Dumbledore looked resigned, a look Ara never thought she would see on the Headmaster's face.

"What's wrong with the spell?" Lily asked, running her hand lovingly through Harry's hair.

Ara sighed "It's called protego diabolica… "

Ara knew Dumbledore knew of the spell, but other than him it seemed that only James and Sirius knew of it as they wore identical looks of surprise.

"That spell is nearly impossible to stop…" Sirius said dumbfounded.

"I've never heard of it," Lily said surprised. Ara could only assume that was because Lily was an avid reader.

James shook his head "You wouldn't have, it's not taught. It was created by Grindelwald."

Ara ran a shaky hand through her hair "I read about it at Durmstrang… I knew I was risking a lot using that spell, I could have wiped out the entire town, but I didn't know how else to get Harry out of there," she said, hoping they understood.

Dumbledore sighed "the spell is not illegal… Grindelwald may have been a horrible man, but he was highly intelligent and an excellent spell creator. He alone knew how to stop it."

Dumbledore didn't ask Ara how she stopped it, but Ara knew that the question was in his response.

"I just willed all my magic to get it to stop," she said with a shrug. "It took a while and completely drained me, I couldn't fight back… I couldn't even stand… not when I finally got control of the fire again."

"Why did Voldemort keep you alive?" James asked, not harshly, but curiously.

Ara sighed again "He wants to recruit me and by the sounds of it he won't stop until he does."

There was silence in the room once more, everyone seemed to be deep in thought.

"What do you want?" Lily asked after a moment.

Ara looked at her "I want to be as far from this goddamn place as possible…" she said. Harry looked sad, but the others gave her mixed looks of sympathy. "but that's not possible… I will not kiss the robes of anyone and I will not serve a man who so vehemently wants people I care about either dead or to suffer… There's a war coming and I've made my choice." While everyone may have heard, she was speaking to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore nodded "we'll speak more about it later."

The others exchanged looks, they seemed pleased with her response, but she wasn't sure what more Dumbledore would want from her.

"Now Ara… Harry… What happened when you made it back to Hogwarts."

Ara felt as though a large log had dropped into her stomach as she remembered the curse that ended a life.

"well," Harry was looking at Ara once more "Professor Moody… Crouch took me to his office and was asking questions… He explained to me that he was the one that put my name into the Goblet and that he was Voldemort's most loyal servant. He was going to kill me when Ara came in… She managed to get me away from him and the two of them dueled and… well –"

"I Killed him," Ara said, her voice void of any emotion. "it was after that that he turned back in to Barty Crouch Jr."

The room had gone silent, while they all knew what had happened, it still seemed to come as a surprise. There was a small singing note from the Phoneix.

"I will say it again," said Dumbledore as the phoenix rose into the air and resettled itself upon the perch beside the door. "You have shown bravery beyond anything I could have expected of you tonight. You have shown bravery equal to those who died fighting Voldemort at the height of his powers. You both have shouldered a grown wizard's burden and found yourself equal to it - and you have now given us all we have a right to expect. You will come with me to the hospital wing. I do not want either of you returning to the dormitories tonight. A Sleeping Potion, and some peace. . . James… Lily, I assume you'd like to stay with him?"

The two nodded, still rather speechless. They both had a tight hold on Harry as he stood.

Ara didn't bother arguing with the headmaster, but instead stood, swaying only slightly as the blood rushed from her head. Sirius reached out to grab her, but she brushed him off, walking quickly towards the door. They walked in silence towards the Hospital Wing, with Ara leading the way.

When Ara pushed open the door she saw Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie, Ron, and Hermione grouped around a harassed-looking Madam Pomfrey. They appeared to be demanding to know where Harry was and what had happened to him. All of them whipped around as the small group entered, and Mrs. Weasley let out a kind of muffled scream.

"Harry! Oh Harry!"

Ara stepped off to the side, making her way towards an empty bed. Molly started to hurry toward Harry, but James moved between them.

"Molly he's fine, but he's been through a lot and needs some quiet and rest," he said firmly, not letting her get too close.

Lily steered Harry away and towards the empty bed next to Ara.

Mrs. Weasley nodded. She was very white. She rounded on Ron, Hermione, Charlie, and Bill as though they were being noisy, and hissed, "Did you hear? He needs quiet!"

Ara buried her face in her hands, she couldn't think… didn't want to think. She knew she had thrown away everything she ever knew. She knew she had made her choice and there was no turning back. She couldn't stop the hurt that settled in the pit of her stomach watching everyone who cared so deeply for Harry gathered around him, while the two people who she cared for most in the world weren't there. Then her mind twisted to something even more unpleasant… Cedric. Her friend, someone she cared deeply for, dead.

She could start to feel the tears prickle at the back of her eyes and did her best to hold them back. She felt a hand brush her shoulder and took a deep breath before looking up. When she realized it was Charlie, she felt every wall crumbling.

He pulled her into a tight hug and Ara sat there, her head buried in his chest as the tears flowed down her face. She didn't know where she'd go from here, she didn't know what the aftermath would be, what the Potters would say when the found out about Alaina or what lies her uncle would spin about her.

"it's alright… it'll be okay" Charlie whispered continuously, one arm wrapped tight around her waist while the other was buried in her hair.

Ara pulled back and looked at Charlie "You don't understand… My family isn't here, they'll disown me for this… I have nowhere to go Charlie, my uncle will make something up as to why I opposed him…"

"You can stay with us Ara," Charlie insisted "Even if you don't have your family, you will always have us… Mr. Potter and Mr. Black are just as well-known as your uncle."

Ara shook her head glancing at the small family hovering around Harry. "I'm the reason the Potters lost their daughter, none of them will want anything to do with me once they know," she insisted, burying her head in her hands once more.

Charlie pulled Ara's hands away from her face and grabbed them firmly in his "I don't know what happened with their daughter, but you were what, four? I think its safe to assume that everything that happened when you were that age was the fault of your parents, not you."

Charlie hadn't asked what happened and he didn't seem too bothered by it.

"Look," he said softly when Ara didn't respond "even if they do care and they become upset by it, you have me… and Bill"

Ara scoffed "Bill hates me."

Charlie laughed "no he doesn't… He wants to hate you, but he's actually kind of fond of you… So you have us and my family will grow to love you. Honestly Ara, anyone who gets to know you seems to love you."

Ara sighed she knew she was right, she was worrying for nothing, she just couldn't help but feel that she didn't quite belong in this group, with these people.

She stared at him for a long moment before she finally relented, believing that she did at least have him. Ara chewed on her lip for only a moment before leaning forward and kissing Charlie hard, something she had wanted to do since her run in with Crouch Sr several weeks ago.

Charlie wasted no time and deepened the kiss, pushing Ara onto her back. They broke apart when when someone cleared their throat from across the room.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking down at Ara's bare stomach, where her shirt had ridden up. His face dropped and eyes darkened as he stared at the cuts

He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "I know you don't want to talk about what happened, but if you want to talk tomorrow… Well I'm a pretty good listener."

Ara smiled into his chest and nodded "I'm just so tired."

"I know," he said, running his hands through her hair. "Just sleep."

She let her eyes drift close, not worrying about all that had happened that night. Instead she let his steady breathing, lull her into a safe sleep.

* * *

Ara woke up, so warm, so very sleepy, that she didn't open her eyes, wanting to drop off again. The room was still dimly lit; she was sure it was still nighttime and had a feeling that she couldn't have been asleep very long. Charlie was still holding her tightly, but was wide awake, staring at the small part in the curtains that had been pulled shut around her bed.

Then she heard whispering around her.

"They'll wake him if they don't shut up!"

"What are they shouting about? Nothing else can have happened, can it?"

"That's Fudge's voice," Lily whispered. "And that's Minerva's, isn't it? But what are they arguing about?"

Now Ara could hear them too: people shouting and running toward the hospital wing.

"Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva -" Cornelius Fudge was saying loudly.

When Charlie realized Ara was awake, he sat up and she followed him. The two of them stood near the curtains, still out of sight from anyone outside of them.

Through the crack in the screen Ara saw Fudge come striding up the ward. Professors McGonagall and Snape were at his heels.

"Where's Dumbledore?" Fudge demanded of Mrs. Weasley.

"He's not here," said James angrily. "This is a hospital wing. Minister, don't you think you'd do better to -"

"I need to speak with Dumbledore, there were two murders here tonight."

"Which Albus will explain to you once he has seen that Alastor is alright!" McGonagall shouted "you cannot harass any student here!"

Ara tensed at the conversation, the Minister of Magic was essentially accusing her of murder. She looked at Professor McGonagall and was grateful to her. there were angry blotches of color in her cheeks, and a hands were balled into fists; she was trembling with fury.

"It is not your student who I would like to question," Fudge said angrily. It was then that Ara noticed the people behind him. They wore dark gray cloaks with a badge that read 'auror.'

"Surely you can't mean Ara minister… She's resting and the last thing she needs right now is to be harassed," Sirius spat out.

Ara watched as the color drained from Fudge's face, it seemed that he was at least somewhat afraid of Sirius.

The doors banged open once more and Dumbledore walked in.

"What is the meaning of this Cornelius?" Dumbledore asked, as calm as ever. "This is a place of rest, I'm surprised at you."

"I told him you would not agree, Dumbledore!" McGonagall fumed. "I told him you would never allow -"

"My dear woman!" roared Fudge, who likewise looked angrier than Harry had ever seen him, "as Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to question a student. There is a child dead downstairs and a man dead in a classroom-"

But Professor McGonagall's voice drowned Fudge's.

"Barty Crouch Jr. was a Death Eater Cornelius, Ara was acting out of self-defense…"

"You don't know that-"

"I do," came Harry's voice from the other side of the screen. "He tried to kill me… He tried to use the killing curse on both of us… I'd be dead if it wasn't for her!"

"well-" Fudge seemed to struggle with what to say "he may be no loss! But Cedric Diggory is!"

"Ara did not kill Cedric Diggory, that was the work of Lord Voldemort," said Dumbledore. He was staring hard at Fudge, as though seeing him plainly for the first time. Lord Voldemort was giving Crouch instructions, Cornelius," Dumbledore said. "Those peoples deaths were mere by-products of a plan to restore Voldemort to full strength again. The plan succeeded. Voldemort has been restored to his body. "

Fudge looked as though someone had just swung a heavy weight into his face. Dazed and blinking, he stared back at Dumbledore as if he couldn't quite believe what he had just heard. He began to sputter, still goggling at Dumbledore.

"You-Know-Who. . . returned? Preposterous. Come now, Dumbledore. . . "

"As Minerva and Severus have doubtless told you," said Dumbledore, "we heard Barty Crouch's elf confess. We questioned her only moments ago, Under the influence of Veritaserum, she told us how Barty was smuggled out of Azkaban, and how Voldemort - learning of his continued existence from Bertha Jorkins - went to free him from his father and used him to capture Harry. The plan worked, I tell you. Crouch has helped Voldemort to return. "

"See here, Dumbledore," said Fudge, and Ara was astonished to see a slight smile dawning on his face, "you - you can't seriously believe that You-Know-Who - back? Come now, come now. . . certainly, Crouch may have believed himself to be acting upon You-Know-Who's orders - but to take the word of a lunatic like that, Dumbledore. . . "

"When Harry touched the Triwizard Cup tonight, he was transported straight to Voldemort," said Dumbledore steadily. "He witnessed Lord Voldemort's rebirth. I will explain it all to you if you will step up to my office. I will not allow you to point fingers at an innocent student simply because of her name."

"You are - er - prepared to take Harry's word on this, are you, Dumbledore?"

Ara stepped out from behind the screen. Everyone in the room looked furious at Fudge for suggesting that Harry was lying. James had taken a step forward and was about to say something when Ara spoke up.

"There were two witnesses there tonight Fudge… I saw him as well."

Fudge took a step back when he noticed Ara.

"Certainly, I believe Harry and Ara," said Dumbledore. His eyes were blazing now. "I heard Winky's confession, and I heard each of their accounts of what happened before and after Harry touched the Triwizard Cup; the three stories make sense, they explain everything that has happened since Bertha Jorkins disappeared last summer. "

Fudge still had that strange smile on his face. Once again, he glanced at Harry and Ara before answering.

"You are prepared to believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, on the word of a lunatic murderer, and a boy who. . . well. . . "

Fudge shot Harry another look, and Harry suddenly understood.

"You've been reading Rita Skeeter, Mr. Fudge," he said quietly. It was then that Ara remembered the article, claiming Harry was hearing things, that he was near crazy.

Fudge reddened slightly, but a defiant and obstinate look came over his face.

"And if I have?" he said, looking at Dumbledore. "If I have discovered that you've been keeping certain facts about the boy very quiet? A Parselmouth, eh? And having funny turns all over the place -"

"I assume that you are referring to the pains Harry has been experiencing in his scar?" said Dumbledore coolly.

"You admit that he has been having these pains, then?" said Fudge quickly. "Headaches? Nightmares? Possibly - hallucinations?"

"Listen to me, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, taking a step toward Fudge, and once again, he seemed to radiate that indefinable sense of power that Ara had never seen. "Harry is as sane as you or I. That scar upon his forehead has not addled his brains. I believe it hurts him when Lord Voldemort is close by or feeling particularly murderous. "

Fudge had taken half a step back from Dumbledore, but he looked no less stubborn.

"You'll forgive me, Dumbledore, but I've never heard of a curse scar acting as an alarm bell before. . . . "

"Look, I saw Voldemort come back!" Harry shouted. He tried to get out of bed, but Lily forced him back. "I saw the Death Eaters! I can give you their names! Lucius Malfoy -"

"Malfoy was cleared!" said Fudge, visibly affronted. "A very old family - donations to excellent causes -"

"Macnair!" Harry continued.

"Also cleared! Now working for the Ministry!"

"Avery - Nott - Crabbe - Goyle -"

"You are merely repeating the names of those who were acquitted of being Death Eaters thirteen years ago!" said Fudge angrily. "You could have found those names in old reports of the trials! For heavens sake, Dumbledore - the boy was full of some crackpot story at the end of last year too - his tales are getting taller, and you're still swallowing them - the boy can talk to snakes. Dumbledore, and you still think he's trustworthy?"

"You fool!" Lily cried as James held her back. "Cedric Diggory! Mr. Crouch! These deaths were not the random work of a lunatic!"

"Listen here Fudge," Ara said, several glasses around the room bursting as she felt her magic leave her in waves of fury.

Fudge took a step back, his eyes widening in fear. The Aurors behind him, raised their eyebrows, but made no move to stop her.

"I've had dinner with each of the people that Harry has named and they are as innocent as a python after biting off the head of its prey. They are horrible people who enjoy making others suffer! Is this the act of an innocent man?"

Ara put her wand to her temple, pulling a silvery substance out, spinning her wand and throwing it at the wall. Her memories appeared before the entire group, a spell she had learned at Durmstrang, to show memories without a pensive. They watched as Ara was pinned to the wall, as Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and a masked Death Eater beat and tortured her, forcing her to break up with Charlie.

"Tell me Minister! Did an innocent man do that?"

Fudge had a look of disgust on his face, he seemed to be having difficulty looking at the memory. Ara waved her wand once more and the picture fell.

"Memories can be altered."

Ara scoffed and everything in the room seemed to still as her anger and magic were deadly quiet. "I never took you as someone to take a bribe minister." She turned her back on him and made eye contact with Harry who seemed to be about to say something. Ara shook her head minutely and Harry closed his mouth, sitting back on the bed.

She glanced at the others in the room, Lily and Charlie were both still staring at the wall where the memory had been, Lily had tears in her eyes. Both James and Sirius were shaking with anger, glaring at the minister. Hermione and Ron were sitting near Harry, both too stunned to say anything.

"It seems to me that you are all determined to start a panic that will destabilize everything we have worked for these last thirteen years!"

"Voldemort has returned," Dumbledore repeated. "If you accept that fact straightaway. Fudge, and take the necessary measures, we may still be able to save the situation. The first and most essential step is to remove Azkaban from the control of the dementors -"

"Preposterous!" shouted Fudge again. "Remove the dementors? I'd be kicked out of office for suggesting it! Half of us only feel safe in our beds at night because we know the dementors are standing guard at Azkaban!"

"The rest of us sleep less soundly in our beds, Cornelius, knowing that you have put Lord Voldemort's most dangerous supporters in the care of creatures who will join him the instant he asks them!" said Dumbledore. "They will not remain loyal to you, Fudge! Voldemort can offer them much more scope for their powers and their pleasures than you can! With the dementors behind him, and his old supporters returned to him, you will be hard-pressed to stop him regaining the sort of power he had thirteen years ago!"

Fudge was opening and closing his mouth as though no words could express his outrage.

"The second step you must take - and at once," Dumbledore pressed on, "is to send envoys to the giants. "

"Envoys to the giants?" Fudge shrieked, finding his tongue again. "What madness is this?"

"Extend them the hand of friendship, now, before it is too late," said Dumbledore, "or Voldemort will persuade them, as he did before, that he alone among wizards will give them their rights and their freedom!"

"You - you cannot be serious!" Fudge gasped, shaking his head and retreating further from Dumbledore. "If the magical community got wind that I had approached the giants - people hate them, Dumbledore - end of my career -"

"You are blinded," said Dumbledore, his voice rising now, the aura of power around him palpable, his eyes blazing once more, "by the love of the office you hold, Cornelius! You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so-called purity of blood! You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be! I tell you now- take the steps I have suggested, and you will be remembered, in office or out, as one of the bravest and greatest Ministers of Magic we have ever known. Fail to act - and history will remember you as the man who stepped aside and allowed Voldemort a second chance to destroy the world we have tried to rebuild!"

"Insane," whispered Fudge, still backing away. "Mad. . . "

And then there was silence. Madam Pomfrey was standing frozen at the foot of Harry's bed, her hands over her mouth. Lily was still standing over Harry, her hand on his shoulder to prevent him from rising. James, Sirius, and Charlie were staring at Fudge. The two aurors behind Fudge were staring at Dumbledore and if Ara could see anything from their expression, it was the desire to flip off Fudge and join Dumbledore.

"If your determination to shut your eyes will carry you as far as this, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, "we have reached a parting of the ways. You must act as you see fit. And I - I shall act as I see fit. "

Dumbledore's voice carried no hint of a threat; it sounded like a mere statement, but Fudge bristled as though Dumbledore were advancing upon him with a wand.

"Now, see here, Dumbledore," he said, waving a threatening finger. "I've given you free rein, always. I've had a lot of respect for you. I might not have agreed with some of your decisions, but I've kept quiet. There aren't many who'd have let you hire werewolves, or keep Hagrid, or decide what to teach your students without reference to the Ministry. But if you're going to work against me -"

"The only one against whom I intend to work," said Dumbledore, "is Lord Voldemort. If you are against him, then we remain, Cornelius, on the same side. "

It seemed Fudge could think of no answer to this. He rocked backward and forward on his small feet for a moment and spun his bowler hat in his hands. Finally, he said, with a hint of a plea in his voice, "He can't be back, Dumbledore, he just can't be. . . "

Snape strode forward, past Dumbledore, pulling up the left sleeve of his robes as he went. He stuck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge, who recoiled.

"There," said Snape harshly. "There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. Every Death Eater had the sign burned into him by the Dark Lord. It was a means of distinguishing one another, and his means of summoning us to him. When he touched the Mark of any Death Eater, we were to Disapparate, and Apparate, instantly, at his side. This Mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff's too. Why do you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord's vengeance. He betrayed too many of his fellow Death Eaters to be sure of a welcome back into the fold. "

Fudge stepped back from Snape too. He was shaking his head. He did not seem to have taken in a word Snape had said. He stared, apparently repelled by the ugly mark on Snape's arm, then looked up at Dumbledore and whispered, "I don't know what you and your staff are playing at, Dumbledore, but I have heard enough. I have no more to add. I will be in touch with you tomorrow, Dumbledore, to discuss the running of this school. I must return to the Ministry. "

He had almost reached the door when he paused. He turned around, strode back down the dormitory, and stopped at Harry's bed.

"Your winnings," he said shortly, taking a large bag of gold out of his pocket and dropping it onto Harry's bedside table. "One thousand Galleons. There should have been a presentation ceremony, but under the circumstances. . . "

He crammed his bowler hat onto his head and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him. The moment he had disappeared, Dumbledore turned to look at the group.

"There is work to be done," he said. "James, Lily… I need you to notify the others, tell them of what has happened tonight and of Fudge."

The two of them nodded, determination in their eyes.

"Then I need to send a message to Arthur," said Dumbledore. "All those that we can persuade of the truth must be notified immediately, and he is well placed to contact those at the Ministry who are not as shortsighted as Cornelius. "

"I'll send word," said Charlie, walking towards a small desk in the corner.

"Excellent," said Dumbledore. "Tell him what has happened. Tell him I will be in direct contact with him shortly. He will need to be discreet, however. If Fudge thinks I am interfering at the Ministry -"

"Leave it to me," said Charlie.

"Minerva," said Dumbledore, turning to Professor McGonagall, "I want to see Hagrid in my office as soon as possible. Also - if she will consent to come - Madame Maxime. "

Professor McGonagall nodded and left without a word.

"Poppy," Dumbledore said to Madam Pomfrey, "would you be very kind and go down to Professor Moody's office, where I think you will find a house-elf called Winky in considerable distress? Do what you can for her, and take her back to the kitchens. I think Dobby will look after her for us. "

"Very - very well," said Madam Pomfrey, looking startled, and she too left.

Dumbledore made sure that the door was closed, and that Madam Pomfrey's footsteps had died away, before he spoke again.

"Severus," said Dumbledore, turning to Snape, "you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready. . . if you are prepared. . . "

"I am," said Snape.

He looked slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes glittered strangely.

"Then good luck," said Dumbledore, and he watched, with a trace of apprehension on his face, as Snape swept wordlessly out of the hospital wing, followed closely by Dumbledore

It was several minutes before the door to the hospital wing opened once more and in strode the one person Ara wondered if she'd ever see again.

"Aunt Cissy," she said walking forward apprehensively. Narcissa was followed closely by Draco and the Auror who had been with Fudge.

Narcissa looked to Dumbledore "I ran into Kingsley upon arrival, I asked that he come with me to have some legal enforcement.

Ara frowned, she wasn't sure what her Aunt had in mind, but the only thing she could think of that would require the presence of a Auror was a disownment.

Draco was looking at Ara and it was then that she noticed his swollen eyes, it was clear he had been crying. She stepped forward and it took him no time to see the invitation. He ran forward and hugged her tightly "I thought you were dead," he whispered so only she could hear.

"I don't have much time," Narcissa began, her voice was soft and when Ara looked at her, she noticed her eyes were full of sorrow. She turned to Kingsley and cleared her throat "I want to make it very clear that I am giving Draco permission to stay with Ara for the entire summer… he can remain with her from today until he returns to Hogwarts on the first of September… Is that understood?"

Ara gasped as the Auror nodded.

"No matter what anyone says, I, his mother, am giving him permission."

"Yes Lady Malfoy."

Narcissa nodded "Thank you Kingsley."

The man nodded and left, pulling out a notebook as he walked.

Narcissa walked close to Ara and it was then that Ara saw the tears begin to form in her aunt's eyes. "take care of him," Narcissa said, touching Ara's cheek with the back of her hand.

Ara nodded "I swear it."

"You cannot come home… either of you, Draco, stay with her, no matter what…. The Dark Lord wants both of you, do NOT let him get you, understand?"

The two of them nodded. Ara glanced to Dumbledore, who had a small frown. She glanced back at her aunt.

"Dumbledore can protect you," she said firmly "He can keep you safe, Uncle Lucius won't be able to hurt you."

Narcissa let out a bitter laugh "Darling I don't doubt the power of Albus Dumbledore, but I've made my bed and I must lie in it."

"I felt the same way, but it's never too late to choose the right side."

Narcissa looked at Ara intently before speaking "Ara I've done some truly unforgivable thing –"

"So have I," Ara was getting frustrated. She had the same concerns as her aunt, but she was making the choice. "I get what you think… I've done truly horrible things, I killed that man when I was only eleven! I killed another man tonight… I'm the reason the Potter's lost their daughter"

"Who told you that?" Narcissa asked, anger forming on her face.

Ara hesitated, she looked at the Potters who had stepped closer and were wearing looks of confusion and anger. "Uncle Lucius… and The Dark Lord," she said quietly.

Narcissa scoffed and ran her hands through her hair, messing the elegant bun. "Listen to me closely Ara," she glanced at James and Lily as well before focusing her attention onto her niece. "you had nothing and I mean _nothing_ to do with what happened to Alaina Potter. They were trying to manipulate you."

Ara tried to speak, but was cut off by a glare.

"Whatever they told you is a lie… the other two people, you acted out of self defense, but you had nothing to do with Alaina Potter, there is more to that story than anyone realizes… _nothing_ was as it seemed –"

"What are you talking about?" James was angry "My daughter was murdered at my house by a Death Eater, what more is there?"

Narcissa shook her head "If I could go back and undo everything we did, I would," she said and there was a hint of pleading in her voice.

"then why don't you tell us what happened?" Lily said, advancing on the woman.

"Because she made the unbreakable vow," Sirius said, staring at his cousin as though he were seeing her in a whole new light.

Narcissa sighed and gave a small nod. "I was so foolish back then… I believed the lies that my parents, my sister, Lucius spun… I believed them all and by the time I realized what was going on, it was too late. I was in too deep." She turned back to Ara "You need to claim your inheritance, before it is too late," she said quickly, looking at the clock once more "and please Ara, anything that you learn of yourself or your family, don't forget that it isn't about where you come from, it's about where you end up… Please don't think less of me."

Ara had tears in her eyes, she knew this was goodbye and she didn't know if she'd see her aunt again.

Narcissa turned to Draco and pulled him into a tight hug "This isn't the life I wanted for you… I love you more than anything Draco, I'm so sorry."

Draco's eyes were red and Ara grabbed his hand tightly. Narcissa turned toward Sirius and gave him a sad smile "You always were my favorite cousin," she said softly and Sirius smiled sadly… please take care of them," she said, glancing back at the two "Ara's stubborn as hell and if she gets something in her mind, she'll do it no matter what you say… she also knows how to find your buttons and push them and I swear she does it for the fun of it," Ara gave a sad laugh. "Draco needs a good influence he has a good heart but he only knows what his father has told him. He's easy going and will do what you say, as long as he respects you, so don't give him a reason not to."

Sirius nodded "You have my word Cissa… they're Blacks and we take care of our own."

Narcissa nodded and took one last glance at Ara and Draco before turning without a word and leaving the hospital wing.

Ara watched as Draco ran his hands nervously through his hair, his eyes still bloodshot. She pulled him into a tight hug, reminding him that it would be alright.

"I must be going… I need to see the Diggory's… Ara, Harry, take your potion and I will see you both tomorrow." And with that Dumbledore followed Narcissa out the door.

"I don't want that gold," said Harry in an expressionless voice after a few moments. "You take it Ara, it should have gone to you… you reached the cup first," he said, staring at the bag on his night stand.

Ara shook her head "You touched the cup first… I didn't get past all the obstacles."

"The Death Eater doesn't count," Harry argued "I don't need the money… I didn't want to be in the tournament, you did… and if you didn't do it for the money, why do it?"

Ara sighed and plopped down in the seat next to Harry "I did it to make my Uncle proud for once in my goddamn life… seems kind of a moot point now… Let's give it to the Diggory's… If anyone deserved it, it was Cedric," she said softly, looking at her hands.

"alright," Harry said and Ara could see the tears burning in his eyes.

"It wasn't your fault. Harry," she whispered.

"I told him to take the cup with me," said Harry.

Lily stepped forward to Harry's other side and ran her hands through his hair.

"You didn't know," Ara said softly "you can't blame yourself… the only people responsible are the Dark Lord and Peter Pettigrrew."

There was a loud slamming noise, and both Ara and Harry jumped as though they were stung, Ara's wand had sprung to her hand as she pointed it towards the noise. Hermione was standing by the window. She was holding something tight in her hand.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"Your potion, Harry," said Lily quickly, wiping her eyes on the back of her hand.

Harry drank it in one gulp. The effect was instantaneous. Heavy, irresistible waves of dreamless sleep broke over him; he fell back onto his pillows and thought no more.

Lily reached forward and pulled off Harry's glasses. "you should get some sleep too," she said, looking at Ara with a sad expression. "Both of you," she added, glancing to Draco.

Ara simply sighed and stood up. She transformed one of the chairs into a bed and pulled it near hers so he would be close to her. Draco crawled into bed without word and buried his head in the pillow, Ara knew he was just trying to process everything that had happened. Charlie walked over and threw a blanket over him, so only the blonde of his hair was sticking out.

He turned to Ara, kissing her on the forehead and handing her a small vial of Dreamless Sleep potion.

Ara took it gratefully and fell into a dreamless sleep.


	21. Chapter 21

**I wanted to thank you all who have stuck with this story! Thank you for all the reviews and support, it has been greatly appreciated. I'm expecting this series to have 4 books and unless I hit writers block, I plan on updating frequently! I will post the first chapter of the second story later today, so check out my page to find it! If you have anything you'd like to see in the future, please let me know in the comments.**

Chapter 21

When he looked back, even a month later, Harry found he had only scattered memories of the next few days. It was as though he had been through too much to take in any more. The recollections he did have were very painful. The worst, perhaps, was the meeting with the Diggory's that took place the following morning.

Harry had woken only to want to go to sleep again an instant later as an onslaught of memories hit him. As much as he wanted to sleep the day away and simply forget, he knew he couldn't. He slowly opened his eyes, only to see the blurry shapes of his parents and Sirius sitting on either side of him.

He reached for his glasses on his nightstand table and slowly pushed them on his face. That had caught both his parents' attention and they leaned forward towards him, his mother running her hands through his messy hair.

"How do you feel?" she asked softly.

"fine," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

He glanced over at the bed Ara was in, he was grateful that the screen was pulled back. She was sleeping silently, her chest rising and falling slowly. Draco was sitting next to her, his eyes glued to her as though thinking she would disappear.

As if seeing his gaze, Sirius walked over to the blonde boy and laid a hand on his shoulder. Draco jumped at the touch but seemed to calm when he realized who it was.

"Why don't we go get breakfast? Bring it back up here…"

Draco shook his head "I don't want to see anyone."

"you won't have to," Sirius said with a small smirk "I can show you where the kitchens are…"

Draco smiled in response, Harry knew it was one of the first smiles he had sent towards the Professors. He glanced back at Ara before standing.

"I'll be back," he whispered, squeezing her hand. He followed Sirius out of the hospital wing with a small glance towards Harry.

"Where's Moony?" Harry asked

"He's working with Dumbledore… reaching out to some of our old friends." James said. "He stopped by while you were asleep, sat with you for a few hours" James added, knowing Harry always took comfort in the werewolf's presence.

Harry nodded and looked back down at his hands… he knew what his parents were going to ask, he knew what they wanted to know, but he didn't want them to ask.

"Harry…" James started, glancing over at Ara's bed "How was she involved?"

Clearly James knew that Harry knew what he was going to ask for he didn't need to say more than that.

Harry sighed heavily "I don't know… not after what Mrs. Malfoy said last night."

"Yes, but what is it that she heard?"

Harry gripped at the ends of his hair, he didn't want them to be angry at Ara.

"Voldemort said that Ara befriended Alaina when she was young, that she gained her trust and that Alaina let her into the home… Ara was then able to get her mother and several other Death Eaters in… That's how they got past the wards."

While they had always wondered how the Death Eaters were able to get inside, there were parts of the story that didn't make sense.

James and Lily frowned "I don't remember Alaina playing with anyone… unless it was someone from that muggle pre-school…"

"but there was a young girl," Lily interrupted "they had a play date… shortly before Alaina d-died"

"it's why she got so distant," Harry said. He wanted his parents to understand. "Ara… I don't think she knew about it until a few months ago… when she stopped talking to everyone. I think she thought you'd hate her, that we'd never forgive her for what happened."

Lily had tears in her eyes but shook her head "Sweetie, Ara didn't care that much about what we thought –"

"Yes she did," Harry insisted with a shrug. "I don't know why, but she does care about what you both think of her… when we were drinking she said she hated disappointing you, and Sirius."

James sighed and shook his head "Of course we wouldn't hate her… She was a little girl who probably had no idea what she was doing… although it sounds like it didn't even happen that way."

It wasn't long after that that the hospital doors opened once more and Mr. and Mrs. Diggory came in.

They did not blame him for what had happened; on the contrary, both thanked him for returning Cedric's body to them. Mr. Diggory sobbed through most of the interview. Mrs. Diggory's grief seemed to be beyond tears.

"He suffered very little then," she said, when Harry had told her how Cedric had died. "And after all, Amos. . . he died just when he'd won the tournament. He must have been happy. "

When they got to their feet, she looked down at Harry and said, "You look after yourself, now. "

Harry seized the sack of gold on the bedside table.

"You take this," he muttered to her. "It should've been Cedric's, he got there first, you take it -"

But she backed away from him.

"Oh no, it's yours, dear, I couldn't. . . you keep it. "

* * *

Both Ara and Harry were released that afternoon. Harry went back to his parents' living quarters while Ara made her way back to the ship. There was a sort of dull ache as she walked but it wasn't anything physical. She felt numb to the world, as though nothing mattered. She couldn't even get herself to ask Draco how his talk with Sirius went. He ended up heading to the Slytherin common room before the feast where Dumbledore would talk about Cedric's death.

When she reached her room, she wasted no time in kicking her shoes off and plopping onto her bed. She wasn't going to the feast, she didn't want to think about Cedric or about the Dark Lord. She didn't want to think about where she'd go when she had to leave Hogwarts. There were so many unanswered questions, so many decisions still to be made.

Ara sighed heavily at the rap on her door. She didn't bother moving, but flicked her wrist so that the door opened. She sighed in relief when she saw it was Connor, Viktor, and Kara.

"close the door," she all but whispered as the three of them entered. They each took seats around the room, Connor sitting next to her on the bed while Kara sat in the empty bed and Viktor took the desk chair.

"I'm sorry," Connor said softly, his eyes glued to Ara.

She ran her fingers through her hair, grimacing as they caught tangles.

"we knew something bad would happen."

It was true, they had known. They all felt as though they were fighting for their lives in this tournament and it was a fight that Cedric seemed to lose.

"Hermioniny said it vas 'you-know-who.'" Viktor said.

Ara simply nodded, not bothering to correct the way he said her name. Not asking why he had already seen her.

"I wasn't there when it happened," she said, hoping they wouldn't ask any more questions about Cedric.

"he's back?" Kara whispered, she seemed to be hoping that Ara would say 'no.'

Ara nodded "Yes… he called his Death Eaters to him."

They didn't ask the question, but Ara could see it in all of their eyes. The wondering of why she was alive… why Harry was alive… and if she chose her side.

"I protected Harry until he could get to the portkey… The Dark Lord… V-Voldemort," she said, having never said the name before. She figured it didn't matter now that she was fighting him "didn't want me dead, he wanted me to join them."

The other three nodded, but the air in the room became tense. While they all seemed to care very little about Voldemort, it was clear they had their opinions, they had their side.

"the choice seemed obvious to me," she said, praying silently that she didn't lose her two closest friends. "I'm far too rebellious to serve anyone… I don't give a damn about blood purity… and why would I pick the side of a man who can't even kill a fourteen-year-old boy," she asked with a bitter laugh.

The others chuckled and the tension in the room seemed to vanish. Ara looked at the three of them and it was Kara who had sighed in relief.

"I didn't know you had such strong opinions," Ara said.

Kara sighed and shook her head "You-know-who killed my aunt… she moved to England and was is the wrong place at the wrong time."

"why didn't you ever say anything?" Ara asked surprised.

"You-know-who wasn't big in Bulgaria, but many people thought he was right. I didn't want to make enemies. But with you, I knew you hadn't decided, and I couldn't blame you for your mother."

Ara nodded and offered her a small smile "well now I've definitely decided against V-Voldemort."

"I thought you didn't want to take a side?" Connor asked.

Ara shrugged "I don't think that was ever really an option… My family is too involved for me to say I won't join him so I either have to join or be defiant."

"Ve vill stand by you," Viktor said with a confidant smile.

Ara shook her head "there's a storm coming, and you should be as far from it as possible," she said. She may not be able to escape what was coming, but it didn't mean that those who meant most to her couldn't.

Connor simply stared at her, Ara had no idea what was going through his head. After a few moments he said, "you'll at least have a safe haven if you ever need it."

Ara smiled gratefully, that meant more than they knew.

"we should get to the feast," Kara said, standing to her feet. "Are you coming?"

Ara shook her head "no, you guys go… I believe Dumbledore has a speech to give."

The others nodded, standing to their feet as well. Viktor squeezed Ara's shoulder as he passed, and Kara gave her a supportive smile. Connor held back until the others were out of sight.

"you better come out of that storm in one piece, or I will never forgive you." He said quietly.

Ara smiled at him as he kissed her on the forehead.

"You can't stay mad at me for long and you know it." She said with a smirk.

Connor shook his head and followed the other two off the ship.

Ara found that she wasn't able to wait long, she couldn't stand simply sitting in her ship while Dumbledore was talking about the death of Cedric. So instead, she made her way off the ship and to the far side of the lake.

She stood there staring at the water for only a moment before someone joined her. She knew she should have been surprised, but she wasn't.

"You didn't want to go to the feast either?" she asked.

"No…" Harry said simply, looking at the lake.

"I'm surprised your parents let you out of the castle," she didn't mean for it to sound harsh, but it had come out that way. She grimaced and made to apologize, but Harry was smiling.

"They are at the feast and I told them I'd be at Hagrid's… but you see Hagrid has the tendency to ask questions and try to be supportive when all I really need is someone to drink with."

Ara laughed and looked back at Harry, her eyes widened in surprise when he pulled out a bottle of Ogden's finest Whiskey.

"Where the bloody hell did you get that?" she asked with a laugh.

Harry smirked, a look that Ara found surprising on his face. "I've always been a good kid, so my parents never felt the need to lock up liquor around me… unlike your aunt and uncle I'm sure," he gave her pointed look.

"I see…. And no, they locked it up as tight as they could, not that it mattered… I mastered the muggle method of lock picking when I was quite young."

Harry laughed "It's scary how much you remind me of Sirius," he said.

Ara took it as a compliment. Sirius was a truly great man, even if odd.

"We are cousins of sort."

Harry nodded and Ara transfigured a couple of shot glasses.

"Make a third, yes?" came the strong French accent from behind them.

Harry and Ara smiled as Fleur walked up to them, transfiguring her own shot glass.

Ara complied and poured a full shot "you too?"

"I knew zat eet would be uncomfortable… Zere are so many peeple who do not know him yet will cry as zo zey do."

"you'll miss the speech though," Harry said.

Ara imagined Harry's concern was because Dumbledore would be talking about Voldemort.

"The Dark Lord… V-Voldemort killed Cedric," Ara said quietly.

Fleur tensed but looked between each of them in turn "Zat is what I over'eard last night at ze tournament. You two saw him, yes?"

Both Ara and Harry nodded.

"Was eet him who impuriused you?" she asked Ara with a frown.

Ara's eyes widened in surprise; she had forgotten. "Fleur I'm so sorry… I had no idea what I was doing I-I-"

"Ara," Fleur said with a small smile, grabbing Ara's arm "I could tell zat you were trying to fight it… I knew you 'ad been cursed."

Ara nodded slowly, it had taken Cedric and Harry to break the curse for her. "well… it wasn't Voldemort, but one of his followers… the same one who entered Harry into the tournament," she said.

Fleur frowned looking at Harry and shook her head "what a 'orrible man… I will fight wiz you 'Arry Potter," Fleur said with a small smile.

Ara smiled at the witch, someone who she knew would stand by Harry. "Me too," she said softly. "Cedric would have too."

The others bowed their heads knowing it was true. It had been only weeks ago that four of them stood there, facing difficulties at the same time, competing against each other. Now the three of them stood together, knowing that they'd fight together until the end.

"I've always looked up to Cedric," Harry said softly "I've lived at Hogwarts since I was young, and he was always popular, an excellent seeker, but also kind. He was too good to be wrapped up in something like this."

Ara and Fleur nodded, he had been the most likeable out of the four of them.

"Zis may come as a shock… but I did not know 'ow to dance… Cedric showed me."

Both Ara and Harry were surprised by the news, it seemed strange that someone like Fleur wouldn't know how to dance.

"I had a bit of a crush on him," Ara said "I mean who didn't? I swear that boy could make straight men turn gay… but it wasn't because he was popular or good at Quidditch or even attractive… he was so passionate and had such a strong sense of justice. He was fiercely protective of those who he thought needed protection… He stood up for a young Slytherin girl once, who was being taunted by Gryffindors." She fell silent, she knew she could continue, keep talking about the boy who had a unique effect on everyone he met.

"To Cedric," Harry said, holding up his shot glass.

Fleur and Ara followed suit and the three of them took the shot, grimacing as the liquor burned their throats.

* * *

Ara stood amongst a sea of students. There was no doubt in her mind that one thing the tournament had accomplished was bringing the three schools together.

Students from each of the schools were saying goodbye to the students of the others. Ara stood closely to Connor, Viktor, and Kara. She had decided not to go back with her fellow classmates, she knew she'd be staying in Britain for a while and had to figure out where she and Draco were going to live. She also didn't want to leave her cousin, he had been distant from his classmates, generally choosing to spend time alone or with Ara and her friends.

Her fellow classmates had each come and congratulated her on the tournament and said their goodbyes. It seemed word had spread about her part in what happened, and her classmates were surprisingly supportive.

"you'll write to us won't you?" Kara asked.

"Of course," she said pulling her into a hug. She liked Kara well enough, she had become a steady figure in her life over the last couple of months and she thought she was a good fit for Connor.

Kara laughed and looked quickly in Ara's direction. She turned to see what she had been looking at and it was Viktor speaking to Hermione. He seemed embarrassed, a sight that was unusual on the famous wizard.

"Честно казано, тя е на четиринадесет години и ти се изчерви" she said with a laugh, catching Viktor's and Hermione's attention. ***(translation: Honestly, she's fourteen and you are the one blushing)***

"Тя ме помоли да я посетя това лято… Ами ако трябва да се срещна с родителите й? ?" he asked, fear evident in his voice. "Аз съм неудобен" he added in exasperation at Kara's and Ara's laughter. ***(translation: She asked me to come visit her this summer… what if I have to meet her parents? I'm awkward.)

Seeing Hermione's frustration Ara moved towards the two and threw her arm around Hermione. "He's scared," she said quietly "he's never had a real relationship with a girl and doesn't really know how to do it… so you might have to help him along."

Viktor was really glaring at her now, the blush fully spreading over his face. Hermione was also blushing but seemed pleased. "well now that I've officially made things awkward, I suppose this is goodbye," she said giving Viktor a hug. He was stiff at first, but as he realized the goodbye, he melted into it. She smirked when they drew apart and Viktor smiled at her "I told you you couldn't stay mad at me for long."

"You vere right," he conceded, pulling her into another hug. "I Love you bro," she said, holding him tightly.

"Stay safe… I love you too… Vill you keep an eye out on Hermioone for me?" he asked, glancing at the witch who was watching the scene with interest.

"Of course," Ara said, glancing back at Hermione. "I'll let you two say goodbye." She turned and left them be, it should be Hermione who got the last goodbye with Viktor.

Instead she walked towards Connor and Kara once more. The ship was loaded as everyone had said their last goodbyes. Connor wasted no time in pulling Ara in for a tight hug, burying his head in her hair "I love you," he said softly so only she could hear.

"I love you too," Ara whispered in response. This goodbye was different than the others, there was fear of the unknown in this goodbye.

He sighed when they pulled apart and looked around. Ara followed his gaze, uncertain of what he was looking for. After a moment he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her behind him, Ara realized that he was pulling her towards the Potters and Charlie. He walked straight up to Charlie, Ara's hand still held tightly in his.

"Are you going to ditch her when some other lady comes around?" Connor asked loudly. The small group fell silent, each wearing identical looks of confusion. Connor's eyes were glued to Charlie. "well?" he asked again.

"I'm sorry, what are you on about?" Charlie asked, a small smile on his face.

"Ara… Are you going to ditch her?"

Charlie shook his head "no, definitely not in my plans."

"Cause see here Weasley, you may be a dragon tamer, But I know about a hundred ways to kill you without leaving a shred of evidence… you see there's this thing about Durmstrang that everyone suspects, but is never confirmed, but yes we are taught the dark arts, meaning each and every one of us has a slightly skewed moral compass… Therefore, if you ever hurt Ara, I will ensure that your anatomy changes to that of a female and then you can enjoy having everything you do to Ara, be done to you…."

"You're threatening to turn me into a girl?" Charlie asked, kind of stunned by the threat. Connor nodded with an evil smile forming on his face. "Alright, as strange as that threat was, I can assure you that I will not hurt Ara… She's the only one for me, the only one there can be.

Connor sighed and nodded "that's good to hear… she needs someone like you. You are far better than that Noah douche." Charlie grimaced but agreed. "Well then I'll miss you kid," Connor said, kissing Ara on the forehead. "Tell me if this guy gives you trouble and I'll turn him into a girl," he said with a small smirk. "I think he'll be good for you though."

Ara nodded in agreement "stay safe," she pulled him into one last hug.

With that Connor turned back to Kara and the two of them boarded the ship, leaving Ara with Charlie and the Potters.

"I think that was the strangest threat I've ever received." Charlie said as the ship started sailing across the water, before disappearing under the depths.

Ara shrugged "he doesn't really know how to do the brotherly threat especially considering you're much stronger than him."

Charlie laughed "He's a big guy, what makes you say that." She smirked and wrapped her arms around Charlie. "I've slept with you both… you are definitely stronger."

Charlie's eyebrows shot up into his hairline. Clearly he had forgotten about that or not realized it. "You slept with Connor?" he asked, jealousy making its way into his voice.

Ara grimaced "just a handful of times," she said.

"I thought you two were just friends… isn't he seeing that other girl… how long?"

"look, lets have this talk a little later, I really don't want anyone overhearing." Charlie conceded and Ara turned towards the Potters who were also wearing amused expressions. "'Arry! Ara!"

They looked around. Fleur Delacour was hurrying up the stone steps into the castle. Beyond her, far across the grounds. Harry could see Hagrid helping Madame Maxime to back two of the giant horses into their harness. The Beauxbatons carriage was about to take off.

"We will see each uzzer again, I 'ope," said Fleur as she reached him, holding out her hand. "I am 'oping to get a job 'ere, to improve my Eenglish. "

"I don't know why you're English is so very good as it is," Ara said sarcastically in a bad French accent.

Fleur glared at her, but it quickly formed into a laugh. "'ou are imposeeble.. but I will mizz you," she said pulling Ara into a hug, a hug that she returned without hesitation.

"I'm staying in England, so if you need a place to live… well I'm sure my parents left me something," she said, a hint of bitterness at the thought of living anywhere they had been.

Fleur sent her an understanding smile "Or we could seemply live off our earningz and rent a place."

Ara laughed "I suppose that is an option."

Fleur gave her one last hug before turning to Harry.

"Good-bye, 'Arry," said Fleur kissing him on the cheek. "It 'az been a pleasure meeting you!"

And with that, Fleur turned and headed towards the carriage.

Ara stood with the Potters, Sirius, Remus, and Charlie as the ship went under the water and the carriage flew high into the sky once more.

When they were both out of sight, Draco ran up to them and turned to the group as a whole. "Professor Dumbledore gave permission for us all to go to Hogsmeade," he said, talking mostly to Ara. "want to get Butterbeer?"

Ara nodded "that sounds lovely," she said glancing up at Charlie who nodded in response.

The three of them turned and began walking towards the village, but they had only made it a couple of steps before Draco stopped and turned.

"Are you coming Potter?" he asked, a small smile on his face as he spoke to Harry.

Harry smiled in response "only if you call me Harry," he said simply and walked towards the small group.

"I suppose you can call me Draco then," he said and it was just like that that everything had changed. Ara and Draco had chosen their side, a side that was accepting them with open arms, despite everything that had happened.

 **End of Book One**


End file.
